Fighting in a love war
by jelanieandbedwardlover
Summary: *Loving you is a bloodsport, fighting in a love war, it's not what I'm in love for* Jared's been miserable ever since losing Melanie to the aliens. But what does he do when her body returns? And she's not alone. Inspired by The Alternative Host but my own twists to it.
1. The surprise

**A/N: Hey everyone! I'm back already haha. **

**So I really wanted to do an EB one this time. But Idk why, but I couldn't not do this story next. So of course it's Jared/Melanie and I went back and forth on if I should write it because my idea was inspired by another story but this is much different so I'm going to try anyway. I hope you like it :)**

_If I fall short, If I break rank_

_It's a bloodsport_

_But I understand_

_I am all yours, I am a man_

_I'm on all fours, willingly down_

_Loving you is a bloodsport_

_Fighting in a love war_

_It's not what I'm in love for, I know_

_But I don't know if you can't help it_

_Baby, I'm just being selfish_

_- "Bloodsport" by Raleigh Ritchie_

**Jared's POV**

Jamie came barreling into the room so fast, I would have blinked and missed him in the doorway. I laughed at him as he came to sit on the edge of his bed. Jamie looked up at me standing in the corner of the room and said, "What's so funny?"

I smiled. "That run you just did. What was so important you get here so fast?"

"Aunt Maggie saw me," he sat up. "I wasn't in class today and when she saw me, she asked me why I wasn't there. I said I was helping Uncle Jeb out in the fields and ran off."

That just made me laugh harder. "Did you think running was a way to make your aunt less suspicious?"

"I didn't think," he replied. "I just ran."

JI couldn't keep the smile off of his face. I haven't laughed like the way I am in a long time. Not since before Melanie was...taken. But right now, her little brother's escape from his aunt was amusing me much more than it was the kid.

"What if she asks Jeb what he asked you to help with?"

I sat down next to Jamie on the bed. The kid just shrugged. "I was hoping she wouldn't."

"You know your aunt," I nudged him. "She's gonna ask him."

"Maybe he'll cover for me?" he said hopefully to me.

"He might," I nodded. "I'm surprised you didn't say you were helping me get things set for the next raid. Me and Kyle were in the storage hole counting supplies."

"Oh, man!" He hit his leg not too hard. "I would have if I knew that!"

"Don't worry, kid," I ruffled Jamie's hair and patted his head. "Your Uncle would make something up for you."

"I hope so," Jamie mumbled.

"If it makes you feel any better," I started. "I'll go find Jeb. Tell him what you told your aunt, ask if he's been blindsided yet."

"You'd do that?"

"'Course, buddy," I said.

I stood up and walked out the door of the small room. It was bigger than most of them but good for just the two of us. Besides, no one really cared about the size of the room here. As long as they had somewhere to stay and they were still human.

The walk down to Jeb's office made me think of how amused Melanie would be by Jamie running away from their aunt. I got the usual pit in the bottom of my stomach whenever I thought about the girl I love. She would have laughed at her brother and then would have told him to go tell her the truth.

I really missed her.

It's been ten months since Melanie was taken. I remember that night before she left so clearly that it feels like it could have been yesterday. The day I found her letter feels even closer. Every night I relive that moment. Every night I lose her all over again.

I finally reach Jeb's office and it's empty. I sigh and look around. There's only a few people around and then a certain one passes me.

"Ian."

He turns around, surprised to see me. "Jared."

His tone sounds like something is going on. Also that he was trying to not run into me. "What's going on? Where's Jeb?"

"Uh..." he stammers. "Outside."

Outside? "Why would he be outside?"

"He found someone out there," he answers. "Some_thing_."

I stiffen. "Was it one of _them_?"

Ian nods. "I think so. Yeah."

"Just one?" I ask. "Or is there a lot of them?"

"I don't know," he tells me. "Brandt said he saw someone out there when he was on watch and Jeb rushed out to go see who it was."

I nod calmly but my mind isn't anywhere near calm. Ian walks in the direction he was going - to his and Kyle's room and my mind starts thinking. There could be a parasite out there. Coming right to us. There are over thirty humans in the caves. Would we all become one of them?

But then there is a crazy side of me, a hopeful side. What if it's Melanie? What if she escaped the aliens and after hiding out all this time, she was coming back to me and Jamie?

No. That wasn't possible. It's been too long. If she could have gotten back, she would have been here sooner.

Just as I'm shaking my head, I see Jeb walking on my side. I call to him and he stops, frozen. He looks even more surprised than Ian did.

"What can do I do for you, son?" he asks me when I reach him. There's something to his voice, something I can't figure out.

"Jamie wanted to know if you'd cover for him with Maggie about skipping class," I said. "He told her he was with you."

"Okay." His mind was obviously on the thing outside. "Jared, I have something to take care of outside."

"Ian told me," I state. "Need any help?"

"I was actually getting some people rounded up to come with me," he says.

I nod. "Want me come?"

"No, that's all right," Jeb says. "You stay here. Take care of Jamie."

His last sentence sets me into guardian mode. I nod. "Got it."

Jeb nods back and walks off into the direction Ian went into. Maybe his group included Kyle and Ian.

I walked back to me and Jamie's room, shutting the door behind me when I get there.

"Did you find Uncle Jeb?" he asks as soon as the door is shut. I nod. "What did he say?"

"He's gonna cover for you," I tell him. "But right now, there's something else on his mind."

"What?" Jamie asks. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure," I lie. I don't want to tell him a potential threat is outside. Not until I know for sure what it is.

"Oh," his face looks sad. It perks right back up as much as it can since his sister's loss. "But he's still going to cover for me with Aunt Maggie?"

"Yeah, kid," I say. "Don't worry about it."

Not too long later, we hear a commotion outside the room. Jeb must be coming back. I stand up and look at Jamie. "Stay right here, okay?"

"What's going on?" he asks. "Why can't I come?"

"I'm going to find out," I say. "And because I said so. Please, Jamie. Just wait for me here, okay?"

"Okay," he gives in.

I try to give him a reassuring smile then I'm out the door. A bunch of people, almost everyone really, is crowded into the big room we walk into when we come home from raids. Jeb is nowhere to be seen yet but there are shadows walking this way. I can't tell how many but the walls start to echo from their feet on the ground.

Taking a deep breath, I prepare myself. Either our people are coming back or Seekers are coming to take us in. Which that it is isn't clear to me yet but I know which I want.

When they come into view, I sigh in relief. There's not a single face I don't recognize at first. I'm trying to get a better look when one of the faces stuns me in place. I'd recognize her anywhere.

Melanie.

Only she's not. Her eyes...they're ringed in silver now. My heart breaks at the sight. My fists ball up in anger. My breathing stops as I look at her beautiful face, now tainted by the parasites. Her face is dirty and tanned, like she was out there for a while. The top of her head is sweaty and exhausted but she's determinded.

But why?

She spots me in the crowd. Her eyes spark in recognition when she sees me. I bit my tongue to keep from screaming at her, how she's not Melanie and to not look at me that way. But right before I do, someone else walks into the caves.

It's Ian.

And he's pushing a stroller. A stroller that as soon as the sun is off of it, a loud shrieking sound comes from. This stuns me even more. All my thoughts of seeing Melanie's body and those eyes stop.

Melanie's body brought a baby to the caves.

**So what do you think? I hope you like that beginning! : )**

**Oh and if anyone has read my previous Canon fic for Jared/Melanie, the flashbacks I had in that one are current to this one but they will not be included. I'm gonna focus on the baby story and what happened to Melanie/Wanda and Jared during their time apart. **

**If you haven't read Safe & Sound though, I suggest you do! I really loved writing that one and am actually really proud of it too. But just remember, you don't need it to follow this one. ; ) The scenes on the run of Jelanie are more like a prequel for this but nothing else connects the two so it's entirely up to you!**

**Sorry I'm so ocd you guys and thanks for reading xoxo**


	2. Scared

**Wanda's POV**

_I knew it was a mistake to come here_, I said to the voice inside my head. _Now your crazy uncle is marching me off to my death. _

_No, he's not,_ Melanie replied. _If he wanted to kill you, he would have let that one do it outside. Or my aunt Maggie even. _

I shook my head a tiny bit so none of the humans would notice the movement. All coming here had done was run my car out of gas and get me stuck as these people's prisioner.

_But James_, Melanie thought.

_I know, I know. _

But it doesn't make it any less crazy. Eight months ago when I found out the bodies the souls had inserted me into was carrying a child, I panicked. I knew nothing of Melanie's past or at the time, my host body's. I didn't even know her name yet.

Seeker begged me for a name but there had been too many walls put up against any information. So instead, I was questioned for months and months as my stomach and my host's child grew inside of me while I had no idea about its parents.

It wasn't until the day I felt the baby kick that I learned Melanie's name.

And the father's.

Jared.

Melanie quickly closed herself off, regretting her slip. But I had to do my duty, tell my Seeker what I knew. She was grateful for the change and took my information happily.

And now here we are. Walking with the enemy to our deaths.

_Not my enemy, _Melanie mumbled.

_Well they're mine_, I answered her back.

She only spoke when she felt she really needed to. That suited me fine. Or at least it did before she led me out to the desert with a little more than half a tank of gas and her son. I hadn't even got the chance to pack a change of clothes.

"Here we are," Melanie's Uncle Jeb said.

I couldn't see anything with my blindfold on but the ground was rocky and a hand - probably Jeb's - was helping me walk. But I couldn't think of me or tripping at the moment. I wanted to know about James.

"Where's the baby?" I asked Jeb.

"He's with Ian," he answered. "Not too far behind us."

I nodded, not feeling comforted at all. Ian - at least the one I thought was named that - didn't seem to like me much. There was another who looked like him though.

_The one who tried to kill us,_ Melanie added.

_They must be brothers._

_So maybe they understand losing family together then. They might save us._

_Hmph! _I scoffed at her inside my head. _I doubt that._

_Like your Seeker was any less dangerous? _she countered.

Okay, well she had a point.

Before I got to argue, I got a glimpse of a ceiling over my head. I still couldn't quite see but that was quickly over with when Jeb untied the blindfold off my head.

My eyes went everywhere - the landscape, the ceiling, the little rocks on the ground. Then to the people. More specifically, one person.

He was here.

Jared.

We both said his name at the same time. Both me and Melanie's voices sounded relieved that he was safe and still himself. She wanted to go to him, forgetting their son was somewhere behind us with Ian. I decided to not risk the glance backward in case they killed me for looking at where we came from.

_He's here, _Melanie breathed. _He made it. He understood the lines on the back of the album and he made it here. Maggie being here is probably because of him. He brought her here and if he's here...then Jamie must be._

Jamie.

Melanie's little brother.

We both wanted to see him. I let her continue talking inside my head as I stared at the man I had only seen in memories. There he was, right in front of me. But his face - he was not the same man Melanie remembered. There was no doubt about it - he was Jared Howe. But the happy, smiling hero she remembered, he was gone.

This Jared looked angry, his face hard. His fists were tightly balled, like he was about to punch someone. Probably me, I guessed.

Melanie thought differently. _He wouldn't._

_You can't know that_, I told her. _Just look at him! This was a mistake._

_I don't think so._

Jared stared at us furiously. His eyes were glued to my - Melanie's - face. Then I hear the same thing he must hear and I stop walking. James is crying. He looks behind us at where I assume Ian is with the stroller. The cries are so loud and in that moment, I realize why he must be crying.

There's not much light in here and the little boy was afraid of the dark. Especially without me looking over at him. At just six weeks old, this seemed like an even dumber idea.

Melanie cut off from staring at Jared to talk to me. _You had to. You know what the Seeker was going to do._

_I know, _I tell her.

But it doesn't make me feel any better while he was so young.

_He's _my_ son, Wanderer, _Melanie said. She sounded annoyed. _Don't act like he's yours._

_I know that, too, _I thought to her. _Thank you so much for reminding me._

Jared walked forward, towards me I thought at first but he went to Jeb. Even his voice was angry. "Jeb, what is this?"

"What does it look like?" the old man chuckled. It was too light considering what was happening.

"Jeb," he says through gritted teeth. I see his eyes look over at me then back to where James must be.

"Doc," one of the voices behind me says. Both Jared and Jeb look behind me to him. Even I do. It's the one Melanie pointed out as having tried to kill me.

"Yes, Kyle?" Jeb asks.

"Are we taking it to Doc's?" he asks. "Like the rest of them?"

"And what do I do with this - this baby?" another voice asks. It sounds a lot like Kyle's. Ian.

"We'll take the baby to Doc's," Jeb answers.

"What about -" Jared looks at me then finishes. "-it?"

"She's coming with me," Melanie's uncle replies.

"To your office?" Kyle scoffs. "No."

"Do any of you have a better idea?"

"I do."

I look up at Jared and right into his eyes. He notices and turns his face the other way, back to his and Melanie's son.

She sighed inside my head. _I wish I could tell him._

_Oh, no, you're not! _I yell at her.

_I know, I know, _she says, mirroring me earlier. _But still. He has a right to know._

_I know, _I agree.

Jared tells me to follow him into a section of the caves. The three of us watch as Ian pushes the stroller and follows Doc and Jeb into another one. Jared turns back to me and says, "Come on."

The rocks are hard and they hurt my feet more than my shoes do. I feel the path and little light in front of me. Jared walks maybe three feet in front, not too close and not too far. He obviously wants answers so he doesn't want to risk me falling to my death anywhere.

After what seemed like a half hour of walking, we reached a small hole. He turns around to me. "Here you go."

I look at him and nod, too dumbstruck to speak. What would I even say to him if I could?

_That I'm in here_, Melanie answers for me. _That you brought his son to him._

_It was a rhetorical question_, I say back to her.

I duck my head and start to walk into the small space. He surprises me however. Jared has walked in right behind me. Once I'm sitting down, I look up at him. His face is pained and it makes me want to sink even further into the hole.

Jared takes a deep breath, sighing then opening his mouth and shutting it again. I wait patiently for him to ask what he needs to. I already have an idea what it is but I'm unsure how to answer him if he does ask it.

He looks to the ground then back up again. "That baby you brought -" he closes his eyes for a few seconds and my heart picks up, slamming against my chest as I wait for the rest of his question. "Is it - is it yours?"

I stare at him. Does he mean did this body give birth to it or was it another soul's? Like adoption, maybe. Some souls take care of children who don't have any parents or who died trying to fight us. But looking at his face right now, I know which he means.

I try to open my mouth but I can't. How can I tell him? Even if this body is the biological mother of James, I'd still have to tell him I was barely inside for two months before I starting getting sick and missing something called a period. I'd never even kissed a man in this body and it was already carrying a child.

Jared waits patiently just as I did seconds ago. Was it really seconds ago? I bite my lip, fiddle my fingers. He watches me curiously, thoughts running over his mind. I can't tell what ones but I know he wants an answer.

My throat feels dry after being in the desert and giving my food and water to James. All I packed was for that small child. Now, looking into his father's eyes, I'm speechless.

_What do we do? _Melanie asks.

_I'm afraid to tell him._

_We have to._

I take my own deep breath and nod. Jared watches my nod, understanding this body bore the child. But he needs to know if it was me or Melanie who got pregnant.

"Did you -" he starts then stops. Again, he looks down at the ground and his shoes, to the walls and everywhere but my face. Melanie's face. The face he obviously doesn't like having to talk to right now. Not if it's not her. His fists are balling themselves up then unraveling over and over.

"Is it yours or is it -" he cuts off again. I wait. "Is it _hers_?"

I'm about to nod again when a voice comes from the down the hall we came to get here. "Well, well. Doesn't this look cozy?"

I see who it is now. The one who tried to kill us. Kyle.

Jared swears under his breath, annoyed. His head rolls to the ceiling then he turns around. "What do you want, Kyle?"

"Well, Jeb filled me in on what that body means to you," Kyle answers. "He thought you might need someone to come make sure you haven't done anything to her. But from the looks of it, you seem to be warming up to it, don't you?"

"Get out. Now," he hisses.

Kyle laughs. "Protective, aren't we?"

"I'm not," Jared hisses again. "I don't care about this parasite."

I flinch at the word parasite but otherwise don't move during the exchange.

"Okay," Kyle chuckles. "Well, Jeb wants you to come back to Doc's."

My head shoots up. Is James okay?

"The baby?" Jared asks.

"That," he nods then continues. "And something else."

"Okay."

Jared ducks down at the entrance of my hole, taking one last look at me, sitting on the ground with worry probably written all over my face. I should know. His looks worried too. When he turns away, I feel my heart collapse and listen to the sound of his footsteps until I hear no more.

That's when I break. The sobs start out small then they become louder and louder, until it's the only thing I hear. I'm sure they're echoing past to all the humans out there but I don't care. I lost my shot. I need to tell about James. His brain was obviously making assumptions in his mind but I wondered how close they were to the truth.

During my cries, I don't realize someone is standing at the front of the hole. I look up, wiping my eyes furiously and clear my throat. It's still dry.

Jeb is standing there with his gun across his back and hands in his pocket. That's it. He's here to kill me. They know James is human and they don't need me. I close my eyes and wait.

_He's not gonna kill you, dummy_, a voice inside my head says.

To which I reply, _how can you be so sure?_

_Because I know my uncle._

I open my eyes back up and sure enough, his hands are still in his pocket. The gun still strapped to his back. "Well, well. This is a definite turn of events."

He's about to walk in the space but stops. "May I come in?"

I nod. He doesn't need to ask. Isn't this his place?

"Now I have a few questions here," he says as he sits himself down beside me. "That baby you brought in - he's a hundred percent human."

I look at him through the side of my eyes. I sit there silently. "Now, that got me wondering. When your kind, when you have children in our bodies - are they human or are they alien like you? I didn't see much of it when I was still out there but you never know."

"The body you're wearing," he starts. "See, it used to be my niece. Melanie. Did you know that?" I nod. "Of course you did. So you understand why I might wonder if the boy is yours or if it's hers, you see."

I nod again. "We just want to know more about the child."

"James," I whisper. It's the only word I can get out in my fear and dry throat.

Jeb leans forward. "Excuse me?"

"James," I repeat. "My son's name is James." James Alexander Howe. But I can't get the rest of his name out. Not right now. I just can't.

"James," Jeb says.

I hear a gasp outside my hole and look towards the opening. I didn't expect him to be standing there.

Jared heard every word Jeb said. And he knows how close the name is to Melanie's brother now.

Oh, no.

**What did you think? : )**

**I was already planning on making the baby a boy but thank you, Princess Noah, for reviewing & saying so! You probably would have persuaded me if I wasn't going for that already.**

**I wasn't sure if I'd be good at writing Wanda/Mel internal monologue but I think I did okay. Leave a review and let me know what you think!**


	3. Need to know

**Jared's POV**

Stupid fucking Kyle.

He walks in at the worst possible time. And this isn't even the first time he's done it. But it definitely is the worst.

We're walking down the hall to Doc's after he so rudely interrupted me talking to...whatever it is. The parasite. My mind is torn between where I came from and where I'm headed to. Melanie's body is back there in our storage hole and it took everything in me to not attack it in any kind of way. All because of the kid. I needed to know. I _need_ to know.

Kyle came in as soon as I asked it about the kid. Melanie's body carried the baby. I know that much. But nothing more. Did the alien conceive the child or...or was it _mine_? Mine and Melanie's together? I need to know.

I look back one more time even though I can't see her anymore. We're standing in front of Doc's office, not even five feet away. That's why Kyle got me, what I'm here for. The baby. Right now the baby matters. And Jamie. I mentally hit myself. How am I supposed to tell him about this - any of it?

The expression on everyone in Doc's face cut my thoughts off. I went into survival mode. "What is it? Is it alien?"

Doc shook his head. "That's exactly what we're confused about."

"What?" I asked. "What is it then?"

"The baby's human, Jared," Jeb answered. "He's human."

I was shocked to say the least. I thought that if Mela...it, any of them would have a baby, it would be one of them. Not one of us. "How is that possible?"

Doc shrugged but Kyle answered first. "Because what if it's yours?"

I gave him a sharp look. "Shut up, Kyle."

"Well, it's possible," he says defensively. "Didn't you and her -"

"Kyle."

We both turned to look at Doc. I gave him a silent thank you and looked over at Jeb, wondering why he didn't stop him. There was an amused look on his face that told me he wanted to see what I would do. I shook my head at him.

"The point of this is," Doc said. "The child is fully human. No silver at all. I ran some tests, the best I could down here, and either the kid is...Jared's" He nodded in my direction. " - or the aliens can have human children."

I don't know which I wanted to believe. That the kid could be just something the parasites made in the girl I loved's body or that it was me and her's. It'd be so much easier if it wasn't ours. But did I want to think about anyone else's hands on her, the way mine were, to make that child? Did they even conceive the same way we did? I shook my head, trying to get the thoughts out of my head.

"How can we find out?" I found myself asking.

"Well, we can always ask the girl," Jeb chuckled.

Kyle narrowed his eyes at our leader. "It would answer you?"

"She asked me about the kid when we brought her in," he replied. "I'm sure if I ask her if the baby is hers or my niece's, she'd answer."

I nod, but not really hearing it all clearly. Jeb was going to ask the parasite that stole Melanie's body if it the baby was it's or mine. It could play us, lie that it's Melanie's so we'll care about it.

But the baby was also human. There was no way to fake that. If it was playing us, Doc would have found out if it wasn't the alien's. This was too confusing. I wish I could be the one to ask considering it might be my child, but I didn't think I would be able to ask anything. Last time took me a few tries before I got my question out.

I walk towards Jeb. "I want to come with you."

"No."

"Why not?"

"You're too close to this," Jeb answers. All signs of jokes are gone, he's all serious now. "You might scare her too."

"How would I scare her?" I ask him. I hadn't done anything to scare her. She had no reason to be of me, at least.

Jeb sighed. "She asked about you and Jamie when I found her out there. It was the first thing out of her mouth once we checked on the baby."

That surprised me but I stayed put. "But how would I scare her? She doesn't even know me."

Kyle scoffed. "If anything, she should trust you then."

I turned to him and gave him a glare. "One might say the same thing about you."

Jeb called me and I faced him again. "Jared, stay here and wait. Doc will be taking care of the little boy but you can't come with me. She might not cooperate."

I scoff now. "I don't see how that would change anything but -"

"Jared," Doc said.

Jeb walked out of the room and I watched him go back to where I wanted to go. I looked down at the baby on the table. His toes were in the air and smiling. He even had Melanie's eyes or at least the eyes she had before. I took the tiny hand in mine and its fingers curled around my index finger. The baby smiled bigger.

"I have to know," I whispered to myself. Neither Kyle or Doc heard me. With one last look at the little boy who may or may not be my son, I ran out the door to the storage hole. Kyle tried to follow me but I showed no signs or slowing or stopping.

When I got closer, I walked more quiet in my steps. I heard Jeb say, "We just want to know more about the child."

I nodded in agreement. It was definitely what I wanted.

"James," I heard Mel's voice say.

I got closer and saw Jeb lean in to her. "Excuse me?"

"James," her voice said again. "My son's name is James."

James? Like as in Jamie? Was I hearing this right?

Jeb repeated the name and I let out a gasp. I was hearing it right. Its head looked up to me in surprise. It was obviously not expecting me to be standing there.

And either was Jeb for that matter. He turned around and stood up, walking to me. "I told you to stay at Doc's!"

"I couldn't," I answered. "How do you expect me to sit there and wait?"

He took a breath and looked between me and the girl inside the hole. "Let me talk to her, Jared. Just go stay with the baby."

"Jeb," I said through my teeth. I don't want to get angry at him. He gave me a place to stay after Melanie was taken. But I can't just sit on the sidelines for this one. "Please."

I don't know if he hears the pleading in my voice or sees something in my face but he nods. "Fine. But stay out here, all right? I mean it."

"Okay," I agree.

Jeb walks back into the hole and I sit myself down on the hard rocks in the tunnel. He must be back with her because he asks how she came up with the name James.

There's silence at first. I look into the hall and see it shaking its head. It doesn't want to tell him. Huh. That could help its trick.

"Sweetheart, you have to tell me," he says to it. I cringe when he says sweetheart. It's not, it's a thief. A body stealer. It stole Melanie from me and now it's gonna keep her last secret - whether or not that child is mine or not.

"Jamie," I hear a small voice say.

Jamie? It does know about Jamie? I have to grip the rocks in the ground just to stay seated and not rush in there demanding answers.

Jeb nods to the parasite. "Jamie?"

"Like the little boy," it says. "Melanie's brother."

I'm about to charge in there when it says her name. It doesn't have any right to say her name. Not now, not ever. Jeb looks my way, as if he's sensing my thoughts and convinces me to stay there.

"You know about him?"

Another nod. "Yes."

"How so?" he asks.

"Memories," it replies. It got into Melanie's memories? Jeb was right. I'm too close to this. It kills me to sit there listening to it speak to him, about Jamie or Melanie. Next, it was going to mention me. "I unlocked her memories."

Hmph. The way it talks about the girl I love might as well be talking about a key. Jeb goes along with it though, much better than I would. "How?"

It shakes its head. "It was just...there."

"Just there how?" he asks calmly. "Did you find them on your own?"

"Yes," it says. Something about the way it answers gets to me. Like it's not entirely the truth. But I keep quiet and wait. "When the baby kicked."

"When the baby kicked?" Jeb asks the same question I was just gonna ask.

It nods. "I thought of..." There's a pause then she starts again. "Some of her memories came to me when I felt him kick."

I can't take it anymore. I have to go back to Doc's because if I don't, I'm going to run in there and scare it just like Jeb thought I would. I stand up and get ready to leave when something stops me. "I remembered his father."

It's just a small whisper. But it stops my heart and my breathing, the way Melanie's smile used to. The way it would when she told me she loved me. I stand in place, not turning around to see the look on its face but I know I can't keep walking, either. Not when I'm so close to finding out the truth.

"You know who his father is?"

"Yes."

"Who is it?" Jeb asks. "Was it another one of you or -"

"No," and I can tell she's shaking her head. Her voice sounds like Mel's when she used to do the same thing. "It wasn't one of us."

He takes a long breath. "Is it Jared's?"

More silence. Come on, answer already. My feet stay planted where they were when I first stopped. I haven't moved to do anything but breathe.

Then another small whisper. "Yes."

My heart feels like it's officially stopped. Did it just say the baby is mine? It had to because when I look back to the hole again, Jeb is staring in my direction. He's obviously wondering if I heard what the parasite just said.

I did.

But I can't move. I can't think. I can't do anything. Its head is down, maybe in shame or in grief. I don't know what but I don't care. It said the baby is mine. Could it be? It looked small, less than three months old maybe. And Melanie's been gone for ten. Was it possible?

The night before Melanie left for Chicago, she asked me to make love to her. Very much like she had before we ever slept together. It happened more times than a first and a second but the timing...it seemed to make sense with the baby's age.

I needed to speak to Doc. See if he could find out a definite age. Or...I looked into the parasite's silver eyes, what used to be Melanie's eyes, and shook my head. No. I can't ask it that. Could I?

Making a decision, I walk back to the front of the hole. "How old is he?"

It looks up at me, as does Jeb. "Excuse me, son?"

"The baby," I clarify. "How old is he?"

The parasite looks down to the ground, afraid. Shit. I just ruined everything. But instead of getting more silence, the voice I love so much speaks to me. "Six weeks."

I look to Jeb, calculating in my mind when he would have been born and maybe even conceived. I lost Melanie forty-two weeks ago. it was getting closer to eleven months. It fit. The timing fit.

I can't breath in here. I leave without a word and walk back into the tunnel. I'm not that far away when I feel wetness on my cheeks. I hadn't cried since I lost Melanie. But right now, seeing her and hearing about my child, our child. It's too much. I get it out and as soon as I can, I walk back to me and Jamie's room.

Jamie is sitting there on the bed when I enter. But I'm surprised at who I see with him. Maggie. "Jared!"

He runs to me, excited. I fake a laugh, pretending what just happened didn't. At least to not tell him yet. I don't think I'm ready to. "What's going on here?"

"I'm not in trouble for not being in class," he tells me. Maggie gives me a tight smile, like she's pretending too. I guess she didn't tell him yet, either.

"That's great, buddy," I say and ruffle his hair.

"What's going on out there?" he asks. "I heard people fighting."

I shake my head and smile. Another fake one. "It's no big deal. They want us to go on our raid sooner than planned. Jeb tried to tell them we'd be fine to wait."

"Oh," he sounded disappointed. "I thought they found something out there."

"Found something?" I ask. "Like what?"

He leans in and whispers to me, out of Maggie's earshot. Too bad he doesn't know she knows more than he does. "One of the aliens."

"Aliens?" I laugh. "Don't be silly. There's none of them out there."

"You sure?"

His eyes look worried. I look to his face and then his aunt's and make a decision. "Um, Maggie, can we have a moment, please?"

"Jared, I don't think that's wise," she says.

Maggie never liked me. Not since the day we met, when she held a sword to my throat and demanded to know who I was. "Please."

"Well, all right," she says in a tone that doesn't sound approving. "But if my brother says anything about this, I said not to."

"I'll keep that in mind," I tell her as she walks out.

Jamie looks at me once she's gone, curious. "What is it, Jared? What wouldn't Uncle Jeb want you to tell me?"

I sigh. First, my heart had to break and now his will. "There was an alien out there, Jamie."

"Okay," he says. "Why couldn't you tell me? Did you think I'd be scared?"

"No," I shake my head. "Not scared."

"What then?"

I take a deep breath and just tell him. "Melanie's body...is here. The parasite who took her body over came here looking for us."

His face stays very still for a thirteen year old boy. "Where is she?"

"That doesn't matter right now," I tell him. "What does is...she brought a newborn with her. And...it's your nephew, Jamie."

"It's Melanie's baby?" he asks.

I nod. "Me and hers."

"Oh," he says then his face turns joking. "Ew, gross! You two made a baby!"

I laugh for the first time since before seeing her walk in. "Yes, we did. And it's not gross."

"That's what you think," Jamie muttered.

I smiled again at him but then got back to the point. "The baby's human, Jamie. And maybe when and if you're ready - hell, if I'm ready - I can take you to see him. If you want."

"I want to," he says. "If that's what I have left of Melanie, then take me there."

"Okay," I say and ruffle his hair again.

We both stand up and walk in the direction to Doc's. "So where is she?"

"It's a secret," I tell him.

"Kyle knows," he says. "He said he got to go to a secret place then laughed. Does he know?"

"He knows," I agree. "But you're not going to see her."

"But I want to!" he yells. Some of the other people look at us and I move him faster and laugh it off. "She's my sister, Jared. How is it fair you've seen her but I can't?"

"Because she's not your sister," I answer. "Not anymore. And I've seen her because I was here when they brought her in. And she brought my...my son here. I had to see her."

"But Jared -"

"No, Jamie. I'm your guardian now. Just, please, listen this once, okay?"

"Okay."

_The room we were supposed to meet in was abandoned. There was not a single sound to be heard and I felt something was off when I walked into the building. Just looking at it, I knew something was wrong. But now, standing in the room we were supposed to be reunited, it all made sense._

_Jamie was behind me. He was looking for places to hide. He was so sure that Melanie was here and that she would be somewhere, not answering us in case she thought we were parasites. But I knew. She was gone. _

_In the corner of my eye, I notice a piece of newspaper. It was a ripped off edge and with a small note written in it. A small sentence of words was written on it:_

not fast enough love you love jamie don't go home

_I curled the paper in my hand and sank to the floor. That was Melanie's last note. Her last I love you to both me and her little brother. My eyes blurred and Jamie came beside me._

_"What?" he asked. "What is it? Did you find something?"_

_I handed him the paper and watched his own expression as he took in Melanie's last words. His own eyes filled with tears too and he sat beside me, crying, just as I was. He handed me back the note where I stuffed it into my pocket. I would never be without it ever again._

_I may have lost the woman I love but I would make a promise to myself to take care of her little brother, no matter what. I would keep him safe._


	4. Meeting Jamie

**Wanda's POV**

_It was the right thing to do_, Melanie says again.

_It wasn't_, I tell her. _Not like that._

_What was the alternative? Jeb was asking. Were you gonna lie?_

_No. Of course not._

_Then you did the right thing._

_Why doesn't it feel so right?_

I heard her sigh in my thoughts. _Because he's hurting. Because as much as he needed to know he has a son, it should have been me telling him. I should have been in control of my own body and tell him._

_I'm sorry_, I tell her. And I mean it. _Really and truly sorry._

_I know you are_, she says. _But it doesn't make anything less the way it is._

Melanie's thoughts fade away, as if she needs to be alone. The thought makes me want to laugh. As if either one of us was ever really alone anymore.

Jeb left not too long after Jared did, after my little confession. My mind was screaming. We both hated to see Jared's reaction to the news. I couldn't tell what he was expecting or even what he wanted to hear. All I knew is he was upset. Jeb even gave him a headstart before following out there.

So here I sat. Alone with Melanie inside my head and just our thoughts. Both of us registered the pain on Jared's face when he asked how old James is. I was so afraid of telling him but Melanie told me I had to. I agreed with her but I hated being the one to tell him. She was right. She was the one who should have told him about their child.

I sighed. I wish I never came here. Even with what the Seeker wanted to do, maybe I could have went somewhere else. Somewhere away from her and I would have been safe. I wouldn't have had to hurt anyone else I care about the way I had to hurt Jared and will have to hurt Jamie when he finds out.

The thought of Melanie's little brother, who would be thirteen now, came over me. Her silence in the back of my mind was obviously listening to my own thoughts and sending me memories. She showed me teaching him to ride a bike, family dinners, her father, her mother. So many years within seconds and I felt the urge to cry all over again.

This was a mistake.

Suddenly I heard a sound down the tunnel. I looked down that way and tried to see through the darkness. It was someone I'd recongize anywhere. Jared was with me again. He was farther away then before. Seemed like he got the answers he wanted and was keeping his distance. But why would he be here?

Panic rose in my stomach. Is James okay? Why else would he leave him? I tried to get up, but then I sank back down. I didn't want to hurt him or anyone else more than I already had. His head turned my way and noticed my movements, saw I had tried to come closer to him. The look on his face told me he didn't want that.

"The baby..." I said to him. My voice sounded like a whisper and I didn't think I could get more out of my dry mouth.

Jared's eyebrows rose and to my surprise, moved himself closer to the front of the hole. "What did you say?"

I tried again. "The baby...is he all right?"

"He's fine," Jared stiffened. "He's with Doc."

I sagged in relief, happy nothing was wrong with him. "But if he's okay..." I stopped again. He looked at me curious.

"Yes?"

I swallowed. "Why would you be with me?"

"Guard duty," he said tightly.

I nodded but didn't dare ask more. Jared moved back to the spot he first sat in and I sank in a corner of my hole. Why was I talking to him? It's so stupid of me.

_I'm glad you did._

_Why would you be glad I did? I thought you hated his pain._

_Because I've been without him too long. It's not enough to just see him. I want to hear him, too._

I sighed to her. _We're hurting him, Melanie. Just by being here. I shouldn't try to have conversations with him because you miss him._

_I know, _she agreed._ But still. _

She's quiet for a moment then speaks again.

_You can tell him I'm in here, you know. _

_No! _Iyell at her. _I'm not doing that! Do you see his face? He's not going to believe me!_

_He believed you about James, _she points out.

_That doesn't mean he trusts me, _I say.

_But it doesn't mean he doesn't, _she argues_. Come on, Wanderer. _

_No. And that's final._

Melanie huffed in anger and went back to her own corner inside our head. She watched Jared at the end of the tunnel, I could feel her. And if I was being honest, I have to say I glanced at him a couple of times.

Someone walked down the tunnel to Jared a few minutes later. Jeb brought him food in a tray. I watched the two of them as my stomach growled. When was the last time I even ate anything? Jeb smiled at me before he walked away.

When he was gone, I turned the other way to not see the food. But seconds later, I hear footsteps and scraping on the rocky floor. I turn to look and I see Jared walking away, the tray at the entrance to my hole.

I pratically jump to it. I'm so starving I don't even care it's just bread and some oatmeal. I scarf it down greedily and smile when I'm finished. I push the tray back to the edge and go back to my corner.

Jared picks up the tray and leaves the tunnels. Without him here with me, I'm scared. It's not like I feel entirely safe with him around - not when he hates for stealing the woman he loves' body so much - but it feels better. Melanie agrees with me and hopes he'll come back soon.

The next time we hear footsteps, she gets excited. But fast, her mood changes and she becomes worried.

_I thought you weren't afraid of Jared?_ I ask her.

_That's not Jared,_ she answers.

I roll myself into a ball, trusting the girl trapped in the body with me. Closing my eyes, I hide my head near my knees and hug my legs close to my chest. There's a laughter when the footsteps get closer and I know that laugh. My skin turns ice and all I wish for is Jared to come back.

It's Kyle.

And he brought a few friends.

I open my eyes again and peer up at my predators. Kyle is standing in the front, the one named Ian to his side and two other guys stood behind the both of them. I swallow hard and try to ask whoever or whatever it is out there that created humans to spare me. They come closer and I curl more and more into myself.

"Well, look what I found," Kyle sneered. "It's a _parasite_."

He comes right to the front of my hole and leans down, so he's looking me at eye level. "Hello, there, alien. We're here to make sure us, humans, are safe from you and your kind. Say your last words."

I close my eyes and get ready for whatever's coming when I hear running. It's fast and coming right towards us. It's probably one of Kyle's friends, adding more to his calvary. Instead of coming towards me, it stopped Kyle. I open my eyes only a bit and see Jared standing in front of Kyle. Kyle's lip is bleeding and and he's not standing straight. Jared punches him on the face and I cringe.

But then another realization hits me: he's protecting me.

Well, maybe not me, exactly. But Melanie's body. And right now, that's good enough for me.

Ian sees that Kyle is occupied and rushes over to me. I back up against the wall and stand, ready to run if I have to. But he doesn't let me run. His fingers wrap around my neck and hold me in place, choking me. It's hard to breath but I can't move. I can't do anything.

_Fight it, Wanderer,_ a voice deep in my head tells me.

_I can't,_ I tell my mental roomate.

A shot rings out through the tunnel. Ian stops choking me but his hands stay on my neck as he looks over to what just happened. Jared has stopped hitting Kyle, who is now on the floor holding his hands up in defeat. His two friends look like they were about to grab Jared away when the shot happened.

Jeb stands there with a huge gun, watching all of us. "Now what exactly is going on here? Or do I even need to ask?"

"We took a vote," Kyle says as he begins to stand. He's careful to not get close to Jared. "It has to die, Jeb."

"Who says?" Jeb asks.

"We say," one of Kyle's friends replies.

"Brandt, it's not up for a vote," Jeb tells them. He turns to each one. "That goes for you all - Kyle, Ian, Aaron."

"What about Jared?" the one named Aaron asks. "He was defending it!"

"He was supposed to be on guard," Jeb says with a look that tells him he shouldn't have left his spot. "I better not catch any of you here again."

"Jeb-" Kyle starts.

"Not another word about it," he says.

"But we're not safe," Ian says. He's finally taken his hands off of me and walks toward his brother. "Not with one of them down here."

"That's why we took the vote," Kyle finishes.

"And like I said," Jeb adds. "It's not up for debate."

Ian asks, "Then who's it up to?"

Jeb's face looks in Jared's direction. He hasn't spoken the whole time Jeb's been here but now that the attention is on him, he exclaims. "Me? Why's it have to be on me?"

"New rule," Jeb explains. "Whoever a body belongs to is the person in charge of what happens to it."

"So just because him and her were sleeping tog -"

"Now, now," Jeb interrupts Kyle. "None of that. Jared's in charge and not another word about it."

Kyle looked even more angry if it was possible. Him and his friends left with one more look to me that sent chills through me. Jeb walked up to Jared. "Maybe I should watch her for a while, Jared."

"I'm fine," Jared told him.

"It's not a question," he said. "Now go see...you know who."

Jared seemed to understand what that meant and nodded, leaving me behind. A voice said to me, _He means Jamie._

_Oh, _I told myself. That made sense.

Jeb walked closer to me. "You can sit. I'm not going to hurt you."

I nodded and that was the first time I'd realized just how heavy I was breathing. I sat down beside him. "You don't have to worry about that happening again."

I nodded again. I didn't believe him. Of course they would try again. Why wouldn't they? When I didn't answer, he kept speaking. "I don't even know your name, you know. Your kind - they call you something, don't they?" Another nod; he laughs. "Would you mind telling me what it is?"

"Wanderer," I say in a low voice.

He smiles, pleased to know it. "Wanderer. That's a nice name."

"Thank you," I whisper.

"If you don't mind me asking, how did you get it?" he asks.

I take a deep breath. I already talked to Jared and that was the second hard thing being here. I haven't been through the hardest yet. "Because I wandered many planets," I admit. "Everyone of my kind thought it suited me."

He nods. "Traveling planets, Wanderer - it does seem to fit together. How many are there?"

I stay quiet. Does he really want to know about the aliens who took over his planet? He must realize what he's asking because he doesn't say it again but asks me to go on a walk.

I walk with Jeb, behind him and looking around. He takes me to a stream and he tells me I can take a bath there. I do and when I come out, I see he's left clothes there for me to change into. Looking at my clothes I came here in, I noticed how much I needed this - the bath and a change. I thank him when I come out.

We don't walk far but when we come back to the hole, I'm sad to see it end. That tour allowed to stretch my legs and look at something besides the same four walls. I climb back in and he lets me fall asleep.

When I wake up, I hear Jared and Jeb's hushed voices. They're talking about a raid. Jeb says, "When do you think you'll have to leave?"

"Soon," Jared says. "Turns out we have less than I thought. I had Aaron do a check of our supplies this morning."

"How much is there?" Jeb says.

Jared shrugs. "It's hard to tell. With our numbers, a week maybe, tops."

Jeb swears under his breath. "Okay. Tell them to get ready to go in three days."

"All right," Jared replies then he looks to me. "What about - you know?"

"I'll keep her as safe as I can," he answers. "I'd have to stay down here though."

"Maybe I should stay then," Jared's face looks torn. "It might be better off if I do. James...maybe I should stay."

Hearing James' name out of his mouth makes my heart pick up. Jared never addressed him by name before. _Again, not your kid_, Melanie tells me.

I sigh. I definitely know that. I promise myself one day that I'll have my own. But then I question how and change my train of thoughts.

"No," Jeb says and brings me back to reality. "We need you out there. You're the best solider we got and we need you to keep Kyle reigned in."

"I know but..." he looks down then back up. "Jeb, I have a son. And I don't know if I can leave him. Not yet."

"I know, son," he says. "But we need you. You just rest and make a decision and get back to me. Just remember how much good you've done since you got here, how much you've helped. I won't make your decision for you but you've got people here who will look after James for you, too."

Jared nods. "Okay."

I close my eyes then and go back to sleep.

The next time I wake up, I saw a small face standing over me. Jamie. I'd know that face anywhere. This is the first time I've seen him in person. He's a lot bigger, he's really growing into himself. Melanie gasps in relief at the sight of her younger brother, so happy to see him again.

I sit up instantly. He stays standing in front of me. "Do you know who I am?"

I nod. "You are Jamie."

Now he nods. "Jared didn't want me to see you. I can guess why now."

I put my head down in shame at now causing him pain. My hardest moment was happening. "Why are you here if he said not to come?"

"I had to see you," he answers. "Even if you're not my sister...I have to see you."

"I am glad you did," I tell him.

"I have a nephew," he says and I nod. "What happened to my sister? If the baby really is hers, what happened to her that the baby survived?"

"She was cornered by Seekers," I tell him. I feel the most confident telling him. "There was nowhere else to run but an elevator shaft. She jumped down. The doctors told me the baby was too small to really feel it so he survived."

Jamie nods, trying to understand. "So it really is Melanie's baby?"

I nod now. "Yes."

"She fell down an elevator shaft?" he asks.

I nod again. "It was empty and she saw no other choice."

"But she lived," he says mostly to himself. "She made it, didn't she?"

"Her body did," I try my best to lie. "Yes."

"Is she dead?" He asks.

I stay quiet and he takes it as answer - yes. He begins to let out small sobs and both me and Melanie's heart begins to break. "No. She's not."

He looks up at me, confused and afraid to hope. Out in the hallway, I see something. More like someone. Jeb has been listening to us. Jamie smiles at me and I try to make one back. Suddenly, there is someone else there. Of course. Jared.

"What the hell is this?" he asks. "Jeb, why is he here?"

"He wanted to see her," he answers. "I came with him to make sure it was all right."

"Jeb," Jared says in a strained voice. "He can't be down here."

"I'm right here, you know!" Jamie yells to Jared. He shocks not only me but Melanie. She'd never seen him get so angry. "I had the right to see her but you tried to take it away from me!"

"You were better off," Jared explained, much more calm then the small boy. "What good would this do? Take you to see the body thief?"

I flinch at his words but don't protest. He's right. I'd have nothing to argue.

"It'd be better than not knowing!" Jamie yells and he runs off into the darkened tunnels. Jared looks at me then runs off after him.

Jeb looks at me and forms a smile. "Don't worry about them. They'll be fine."

I nod. "Good."

"You talked a lot to him, Wanderer," he comments. "Would you mind if I shortened your name?"

"No," I say.

"How does Wanda sound?" he asks me. "It has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?"

"Yes," I say. "I like it very much."

"Good," he beams. "Wanda it is."

Days pass and everyone gets ready to leave on the raid. I will miss Jared fiercely and more than that, I want Jamie to come back and visit. And I want to see James. It seems like forever since I've seen him or held him. Not since that first day in the caves and it's driving me crazy.

Before leaving, Jared comes and sees me. He passes me bread just like he had before but this time, he watches me. In the back of my mind, I believe it's because he thinks Kyle's brother, Ian, will kill me when he's gone. He wants to pretend I'm Melanie and see me one last time.

_That's not it_, she says.

_That's what you think,_ I say back. _Of course he wants it be you._

_I don't deny that, _she replies. _But I think he wants to see us before he goes._

I laugh to myself and he leaves. I wonder if I'll ever see him again. Jeb comes to sit with me after they've left and tells me they're gone. But he has a surprise for me - he's brought James to see me.

_I woke up feeling sick to my stomach. Again. I rush to my bathroom in my private apartment and kneel over the toilet bowl. It looks like I'd emptied the entire contents of my stomach into the bowl when the sickness goes away. I leave the bathroom and decide to make an appointment with my healer._

_He leaves me in the room by myself as he checks the tests to find out what's been making me so sick. When he returns, his face is excited and smiling. It wasn't what I was expecting. _

_"I have great news, Wanderer," he tells me. "Your tests tell me you are expecting a baby."_

_"Excuse me?" I ask. How can I be expecting a baby? Then it hits me. I've only been in this body for seven weeks. Maybe my human host was before I was inserted into her. _

_"A baby!" he beams. "Congratulations. Are you going to tell your partner today?"_

_"I don't have a partner," I answer. "I think this is my host's baby."_

_"How exciting!" he remarks. "You can start the baby fresh!"_

_"I guess so," I laugh. I don't know why I can't make myself feel more excited about first human host and already carrying a child? Maybe I wasn't ready for Earth after all. _

_He tells me he has another patient to go see and congratulates me one more time. I smile up at him and once he's gone, I put my hand on my belly. "Hello, baby. It's just you and me I guess. I don't know who your daddy is. I don't even know who your mommy is, not really. But you and me, we're going to make it work, okay?"_

_I stand from my seat and leave the room. But instead of heading home to my apartment, I go to the nearest store and begin shopping for things for my unborn child._


	5. Dreaming

**Jared's POV**

We' d been on the raid for a week now. My mind kept wandering back to the caves, back to where Melanie's body was, where my son was. I was sure Jamie would be watching him like a hawk but I wasn't too sure if he wasn't going back down to the storage hole.

Jeb would allow it, I wouldn't. Since he proclaimed me being in charge of what happens to it, I'd been torn. I didn't want to be in charge. I didn't want that responsibility. It was probably why Jeb gave me it. That and he knows I wouldn't let Kyle or his friends kill it. He was using Mel against me and I hated it.

I looked out the window of our truck again. My Jeep was back at the caves. It wasn't exactly conspicuous for our raids. But for once, I was glad for it. All the Jeep would do now is make me think of Melanie even more than I already was. God knows that was enough already.

And of course, then there was my son.

I had a son. I was a father. I never expected the day that would happen. I never even wanted kids. Melanie even knew that. But...I thought we had been careful. We were as careful as you could be in this new world and I guess that wasn't enough.

I should have been there. I should have been there through Mel's pregnancy and the birth. I swore at the parasites. They took that away from me. They took her away from me. It was all their fault. But...I never would have met Melanie if the world wasn't like this. She would have never been on the run. Neither would I to be honest. She'd have been back home with her dad and Jamie and I would be with my own father and brothers.

The only thing to be thankful for was her.

Other than that, I was angry at them. Yeah, they brought her to me but they also took her away. For that, I can never forgive them. What kind of cruel fate gives you someone you love so much only to take them away? It wasn't right.

The aliens were still walking around and it was hard enough to hide in here with three other guys and pretend it was empty. All I've been stuck with since we left is my thoughts. These raids aren't as loud as someone would expect with Kyle here. That leaves me with my misery and wondering about my child back in the caves.

xx

I must have fallen asleep in the back of the truck because the next thing I remember is being shaken awake and looking into Brandt's eyes.

"We're up," he says once my eyes are open.

I quickly move into my usual raiding mode. I sit upright and the four of us climb out of the truck, looking all around in case any parasites spot us. There's no one else around and we walk right across the lot and into the giant store. No, really it's called Store. We laughed the first time we saw it too.

Once inside, we grab two carts and split up. Great. Kyle comes with me and Aaron and Brandt go on the opposite side of the store. I ignore him and we grab what we need, throwing it all into the cart. We swing to each aisle on our side and grab enough food to last months. All the perishables will have to be eaten first but still, it's a lot to feed the human survivors.

Kyle throws some new clothes into the cart too and I give him a look. None of us are really a fan of the alien's clothes. They're so plain and simple - we all guessed it was a nod to how simple and boring they made television. It made me laugh when I first came to the caves and we all laughed at the programs they played.

I was good at laughing through my pain then.

"How do you think everyone's treating your girl back home?" Kyle said as he came to stand beside me.

I looked over at him, ready to hit him but stopped that idea only because I didn't want to drag him out of here. He was smirking at me which made it harder not to. "That thing is not my girl."

"Oh, come on," he laughed low. "You and her have a past. A baby. You gotta be thinking something."

"Right now, I'm thinking plenty of things," I sneered. "But not about her."

"Aww, Jared!" he said. "You gotta give me a break here. The one girl who meant everything to you comes back to the caves and you're not thinking anything?"

"I am," I disagreed. "But I don't want to talk about it."

"Why not?"

I turned to face him, stopping our huge cart and almost making Kyle drop what he was holding onto the ground. "Because, Kyle, would you want me, or Ian, or how about anyone else asking you how you feel if Jodi came back?"

Kyle stiffened. "That's different."

"Oh, it is?" I countered. "How exactly is that different?"

"Jodi's dead," she spat on the ground.

"So is Melanie," I answered and the words leave an uneasy feeling in my chest. It was my heart.

"No, she's not," Kyle replied.

"She's not?" I ask almost teasingly. "And how would you know that? You have some magical powers to see inside parasites now?"

"She carried your child," he whispers. "You think she's not somewhere in there for all of that?"

I never thought of it that way. But I couldn't. I wouldn't. Melanie was gone and she's never coming back. I'd already accepted that and I'll be damned if I let Kyle of all people convince me otherwise. "She's dead, Kyle."

With that, I started walking down the aisle and throw more into the cart and try to keep away from Kyle so he can't have any more heartfelt conversations with me but at the same time, so we're not alone. It's not easy knowing he's there and what he's probably thinking about.

We meet up with Brandt and Aaron and load everything up in the trucks. We're back on the road within minutes and I sit in the backseat away from Kyle in the front seat. Aaron asks me if I'm okay and I nod, not wanting to get into the talk we had inside the store.

The ride takes a while and I eventually start closing my eyes. I figure it's better than sitting with everyone's suspicious looks.

_Melanie sits up against a wall. She looks like she had just been asleep but the way she stretches shows she hasn't been actually sleeping. I look at her, opening my eyes to take her in. It feels like I'd known her forever, not that we only met a week ago. _

_She notices me watching her and grins. "Morning."_

_"Morning," I say back to her. She raises her hands over her head and reaches them as high as she can then stands up and does it over again. I watch her, mystified at how she can seem so much like a morning person with everything that's happening out in the world. "How'd you sleep?"_

_"All right," she shrugged. But the way she moved herself, rolling her back made me not believe her. "You?"_

_"Okay," I said. "Maybe we should find somewhere else to stay."_

_"No," she shakes her head. "Where would we even go?"_

_"My dad had a cabin," I answer her. "We could go there."_

_"A cabin?" she asks. "How would we get there? And what if the aliens have taken it over?"_

_"It's worth a shot," I say._

_She looks down at her sleeping little brother, only nine years old. "I don't know if it is, Jared."_

_"Melanie..." I start and she looks back at me then. We catch each other's eyes but she looks away first. "He can't grow up in a cave."_

_"He won't," she replies. "We're not going to stay here forever."_

_I stand up and walk towards her. She watches me curiously but there's something else in her eyes. "Where are you going to go then? You'll need someplace."_

_"I have someplace," she tells me. She bends down to her backpack and shuffles through it and stands back up with an album. "I have this."_

_"A photo album?" I question. "How does that give you someplace to stay?"_

_She flips it over to the back and hands me it. "See these lines? There's supposed to be something. I just don't know what exactly."_

_I stare at the lines, trying to figure them out. "What could they be?"_

_Melanie shrugs. "I'm not sure. My dad showed me this when I was little. My Uncle was considered crazy to our family but...these are his lines. If only if he was here to tell me what they mean."_

_"Is he dead?" I ask her in the best voice I can for that question. _

_"God, no," she laughs. "Not that I know of, at least. I haven't seen him in years. He kind of...predicted the invasion."_

_"Predicted the invasion?" This stuns me. "What? How?"_

_"I honestly don't know," she answers. She takes the book back and stares at the album cover, as if she can figure it out right this second if she looks hard enough. "But Uncle Jeb is safe someplace, and I have to find out where that is."_

_"And these lines," I ask. "They're a clue to where he is?"_

_She nods. "I'm sure of it. And then me and Jamie will be safe. No more living on the run, in any kind of cave."_

_"What about me?" I ask her. "How will I be safe?"_

_"You'll come with us," Melanie answers right away. Her face looks shy and then she blushes, making me think there's more to it than that but I don't ask for more. "If you want to, of course. I don't want to force you with us. In case, you know, you have somewhere you could go like the cabin you mentioned...or somewhere else with someone else."_

_"No," I whisper. "I don't have no one else to be with."_

_"Good," she sighs._

_I'm suddenly aware of how close we're standing together. Melanie looks down and then back up and when she does, she looks right into my eyes. I remember the night we met, when I kissed her in relief of finding another human. I remember the way her lips felt against mine and the way her hand went to the back of my neck during the second kiss. How she touched my scar. _

_I back myself up a little to give her some space. I didn't want to force her into another thing she didn't want. That first night was enough. It couldn't happen again, especially not since she screamed after the second time I kissed her. _

_And she was so young. The morning after the night we went, we got the chance to have a conversation about each other. It wasn't much and Jamie was there, happily eating some of the food we stole but I learned how old she is. She's only seventeen. How can I take advantage of that? Last man and woman on Earth or not, I couldn't._

_But the way she was looking at me right now made me want to throw that logic out the window. She stepped that inch back closer to me and we were standing as we were before I pulled back. _

_"Jared," she said in such a low voice. I waited for more but she closed her eyes and I just stayed put, watching her. _

_Then a small voice caused her eyes to open again. "What time is it?"_

_We both turned to look over at Jamie, who was just starting to wake up. Melanie walked over to her brother and it hurt me to be not near her. "Uh..."_

_I looked down at my watch I still wore on my wrist. It was my dad's and I couldn't let it go. "It's 9:13 am, kid."_

_Jamie nodded. "Oh. Do I have to wake up yet, Mel?"_

_"Yes, you do," she says with a smile. That smile would convince me to do anything too if she turned it on to me. "Now, come on."_

_"All right," he groaned and it made me laugh. "What's for breakfast then?"_

I wake up after dreaming of Melanie. This isn't exactly the first time it's happened but it's definitely the first time I dreamed of a whole memory and it didn't distort into something about her being taken. It was nice...as if I was still there in that cave almost four years ago. Even with the safety of Jeb's caves can't make me prefer now to then.

We head off to the next store and do the same all over again until the day we head back to the caves and I can see Jamie and my son again.

**Short! But sweet I hope haha.**


	6. Now they know

**Wanda's POV**

The time since Jared and the others left on the raid felt like forever. At first, I was confined to my small space with Jeb visiting every so often with James, Melanie's son. He had one of the guys, I think his name was Wes, watch me whenever he couldn't. The moments he was gone, I yearned to see James and Jamie again.

I lost track of the days and finally, after what seemed like years, Jeb came to my hole and he brought Jamie with him. I was so excited! They invited me out of the hole and to come stay with Melanie's younger brother. I wondered what caused the change of heart but I didn't disagree with it.

They took me to Jamie's room and it took me a moment to recongize that it was Jared's room too.

"I can't stay here," I told them.

"Of course you can, Wanda," Jamie argued. A few days after Jared left, he began calling me by Jeb's nickname.

"Jared won't like it," I said.

"It's my room too!" Jamie said. "If Jared doesn't like it, he can stay somewhere else."

Jeb smiled at the little boy who was not so little anymore. I figured he wasn't going to help me out of this one so I tried on my own.

"I don't want to upset him," I tried. It wasn't entirely untrue and it was close to my real reason. That I didn't know how he'd feel about me being in here and I was afraid of how I'd feel so close to him.

"You won't," Jeb said. "I'm with the kid. I'm in charge here and how about if it makes you feel better, you stay here until he comes back? Then we find you somewhere more permanent."

"Okay," I agreed.

Jamie beamed, excited. "This is going to be so much fun!"

I smiled as much as I could for him, worried about staying in the room the person this body loves sleeps in. "Yeah. It is."

xx

Jeb brought me my own blankets and a pillow not too long after that and he told me not to worry about Jared.

"He's a big boy," he said. "He can take care of himself, Wanda."

"That's not what I'm worried about," I told him.

He looked at me questionably. Like he was trying to figure out what else I could be worried about with him. "Is this about the room? You really don't want to stay in here or is it something else?"

"No," I said. Lying was becoming easier to me now. I could hide Melanie, I told myself. They can't know about her. "It's about the room."

Jeb stared at me for a moment and I wondered what he saw. But then he said, "All right. See you then, Wanda."

And he was out the door.

I looked around the room, trying to figure out what I can do. I hadn't been able to do anything while I was sitting in that hole and now I was out and in a bedroom and I was absolutely clueless on what to do. Jamie had classes to go, he told me. And I didn't think anyone would be accepting me out there working.

There was a box over in the corner of the small room. Melanie knew it was Jared's handwriting on the side of the box and it said "No one open" on it. I looked around again but this time to make sure that no one could see me and walked over to the box.

It wasn't shut very good, just the flaps overlapping each other. I peeled them up one by one and looked inside. The box was fairly empty besides a couple of books and a Polaroid. I reached in and picked up one of the books. Melanie gasped when she noticed what it was.

_The album!_ she exclaimed. _He still has it!_

_It's obviously how he got here, _I replied. _But he kept it. Why didn't he give it to Jeb or someone else in your family?_

I could feel Melanie roll her eyes. I didn't understand. _What?_

_He kept it because of me, dummy, _she said. _Because I gave that to him before I left to find Sharon in Chicago. _

_He kept it even though you got taken there?_

She rolled her eyes again. _Wanderer, you have so much to learn. It didn't matter I got taken there. What mattered is I gave it to him. It was my last gift to him before I was taken. And even if it wasn't, he wanted it because it was mine. Jared would never give it to Uncle Jeb or Aunt Maggie or anyone if it's all he has of me._

Now I understood. I had never experienced anything like what Melanie had shared with Jared and it made me jealous. Jealous because he loves her, because she loves him. Jealous that they each had found love and I probably never will because I'm a soul surrounded by humans who hate me.

I put the album back in the box and picked up the upside down Polaroid. It was a picture of me! Or, well, of Melanie. She was laughing in the picture and obviously did not someone was taking her picture.

_I remember that, _Melanie said. _I was outside behind the cabin and all of a sudden I heard this sound. I had no idea what it was and I looked over. There Jamie was, laughing with an old camera we found in one of the para - your kind's houses._

I stared at her in the picture. She looked so happy and carefree. You wouldn't think humans were becoming extinct or that anything out of the ordinary was happening in the world.

_I was happy, _she said sadly. _The happiest I've been since before the invasion._

_Where was Jared when the picture was taken?_

_Inside. I had convinced him to cook me dinner. _

_How did that work out? _I laughed to myself, not able to not picture it.

_It actually turned out all right, _she answered. _He wasn't the chef of his family but he did good._

That made me smile. I wish I had seen Jared like that. Instead, I only saw him the way he was now. He was someone completely different when Melanie was with him. Not even the loss of his brothers or his father had iced him over like her loss did. That really said a lot about their relationship.

_He loved me a lot, _she said back in her sad tone. _I don't know what I would do in his position._

_You'd keep going, _I told her. _For Jamie. For him. He wouldn't want you to give up because he's gone._

_Just like now, _Melanie mused. _He promised me he'd take care of Jamie and he knows I wouldn't want him to give up._

There's silence between us at first but then she spoke again. _Look how much good he's done. He goes on the raids and makes sure the humans here can survive. They need him as much as I did. He needs them, too._

_Maybe, _I thought back. _Maybe he distracts himself by helping them. He doesn't think of you as much when he's working._

_Could be, _she agreed. _But you had to spoil my 'for the greater good' talk, didn't you?_

We laughed together inside our shared mind and then a knock at the door made me jump. I dropped the picture into the box and turned, surprised at who I found in the doorway. It was Ian and he was giving me a smirk.

"Well, well, well," he said. "What have we here?"

I almost didn't answer but I also didn't want him to think I escaped out of the hole on my own. "Jeb is letting me stay here."

"It talks!" He laughed. "But I knew that. I mean, look at you snopping through Jared's stuff. He never lets anyone look in there."

"I wasn't snoop -"

He cut me off. "Tell you what, I won't tell if you do something for me, Wanda, is it?"

I nodded. "What do you want me to do?"

Ian walked into the room with no invitation but slowly towards me. "Tell me what you're doing here."

"I told you," I explained. "Jeb told me to come here -"

"No, no," he said, cutting me off for the second time. "I don't mean here in this room. I mean, here, in the caves."

Oh. I stayed quiet. How can I explain to this man who only a couple of weeks ago was trying to choke the life out of me?

_And me,_ Melanie added.

I turned and backed away from Ian and sat down on what I hoped was Jamie's bed. "I shouldn't tell you."

His head tilted to the side. "How come?"

I sighed and took a deep breath. Melanie was silent, probably letting me figure out for myself. But before I could answer anything, Jeb was asking me too. "I think I'd like to know the answer to that myself."

Did he hear it all? Ian's original question or just me not wanting to tell him? Ian turned to Jeb and said, "I'm trying to ask her why she's here. But she wants her secrets."

"She's here because I let her be here," Jeb answered simply. Ian's face scrunched because that wasn't the answer he was looking for, either. But he took the hint from Melanie's uncle and nodded towards me and left the room.

"Thank you," I said to him. I didn't know how I was going to escape that conversation and he saved me.

"The boy does ask an interesting question," Jeb points out. "Why are you here?"

"I don't know," I lied.

"Now, see, Wanda, I can tell when you lie," he states. And he's not saying it because he caught me. He's saying it because he genuinely wants to know why I'm here.

"Jared and Jamie," I say. It's all that comes out.

"You said their names when I found you out there," he remembers. "Is that why you came? To find them?" I nod. "Were you trying to bring them back to your kind?"

I shake my head. "No."

"Then what was it?" he asks.

Jeb is looking down at me sitting on the bed. He's standing in front of me and a curious look in his eyes. Do I tell him? I wasn't sure.

_I think you should, _Melanie said.

_What if he doesn't believe me?_

_He will._

_How do you know?_

_Because I know him, _she says. _He won't think you're lying. My family called him crazy, I think he understands._

I take a big breath and answer. "I wanted to find them. Because of the memories."

He stared at me, thinking. "Melanie's memories?" I nodded again. "You can...access her memories?"

"Yes," I answer.

"Only access?"

"What do you mean?"

He sits in a chair across from me. "I'm thinking that maybe, just maybe, you accessed those memories because she's still with you. My niece is still alive in there and maybe when the baby kicked, it woke her up. Maybe she was hiding from you or your kind and didn't want you to know anything but when he kicked, she had a moment of weakness."

I stared at him blankly. How much would she understand?

_All of it, it seems, _Melanie replied.

_And your family called him crazy? _I say to her. _He understands better than anyone else. He's a genius._

_Maybe he's both._

"Am I right, Wanda?" Jeb asked. "Is Melanie still alive in there?"

Tears began pouring out of my eyes. I wiped them away. "Yes."

Jeb gave me a surprised look and I thought, that's it. I'm done for. Melanie rolled her eyes somewhere in the back of my mind again.

"Really?"

A small voice asked it and I looked towards the doorway. Oh no.

"Jamie."

"Is my sister still alive?" he asked. "In there with you?"

"Yes," I answered the both of them. "She's in here with me, alive."

Jamie ran into the room and hugged me. The next time he spoke, it sounded like he was crying his own tears. "I missed you so much, Mel."

"She missed you, too," I tell him and hug him back. "So much."

Jeb watches us and I hope he can see with my eyes that I'm not lying to him, not about this or why I'm here. He nods at me, telling me he understands and walks out of the room.

An hour later I'm telling Jamie everything I know. He sits with me and listens to every word I say, askng Melanie's opinion or what she's thinking. I tell him what I can without giving him my biggest secret, the one I'm afraid to use.

Jeb brings James to me and I feed him his baby food. Jamie and Jeb both watch me. I even catch Ian walking by and he pays attention, watching how I am with this human child who is the son of my human host. He stares for a while and I feel like I'm back at my old teaching job again, showing my students what to do.

I tell Jamie and Jeb stories of the pregnancy, Melanie's thoughts through everything, how much she thought of him and Jared and what kind of father or uncle they'd be. She imagined being herself and being able to tell them about James or them being there for the whole thing, especially the birth. I told them everything, only editing the really hurtful parts. Ian stayed and watched us from afar.

That night when we are about to go to sleep, Jamie tells me to stay on the other bed. As soon as I lay down, I can smell Jared on it. Melanie falls asleep fast which causes me to fall asleep fast. And tonight, we both dream of Jared being here with us.


	7. Seeing red

**Jared's POV**

We drove back to the caves easily. It was night out and Kyle drove at the alien's speed limit. I laid in the back and wondered what it was like back home. I was going to see Jamie again, see my son again. What about the parasite inside Melanie's body? Would it still be there?

I tried to imagine a million scenarios and I knew none of them were okay with me because I knew I wanted her with me. But Melanie was gone, one of them in her place, and I tried to look at the bright side of it.

The truck slowed down a little and I knew we were close to home. I closed my eyes tight and thought of Melanie before we reached there. What kind of life we would have had if she hadn't been taken, if we got to raise our son together.

I imagined Melanie telling me she was pregnant, how I wouldn't be able to stop kissing her or her belly. We'd take baby clothes and a pregnancy test to make sure on our raids. We'd celebrate and Jamie would find it gross and want no part in it. That made me want to laugh.

The first time the baby kicked, she scream in excitement at me and tell me to feel it. Melanie would call over Jamie too and since it was his family, his nephew, he'd want to feel it. He'd smile with the two of us and be excited. We'd look through baby names and try to pick three favorites each, not knowing what the sex would be yet.

Damn them. _Damn everything. _They ruined our future. They ruined _hers. _I would never forgive them for taking her away from whatever she could have been. Everytime I went down this path, it pissed me off more and more. I missed her too much. There was a hole in my chest where how much I love her is.

There was a sharp turn in the truck and we must be pulling into the other cave, where we keep the cars and the clothes for the raids. I sat up and so did Aaron. We waited for the car to stop and then once it was, the back door opened and there stood Kyle and Brandt.

"Come on," Kyle said and the two of jumped out of the back and started grabbing things to bring in. I focused on the task at hand and let my thoughts of Melanie slip to the back of my mind as we got the supplies everyone needed inside.

We carried each thing carefully inside, careful to not drop anything on our way even though there was really no one out here to find it besides us. Kyle and Aaron ran back to the truck when we were done to pick the rest of it out. Brandt and me stood there waiting. I didn't want to go in first and a part of me wanted to be alone when I did. I didn't think I could be but I hoped at least.

They came back too soon, carrying the more perishable foods and went in first. "Move along, Jared."

I glared at Aaron and replied, "I'm coming."

When we got into the caves, we went straight to the big room. It was very quiet in there and I figured they were either eating or playing soccor in our homemade rec room. Kyle led the way down to the hole where Melanie's body was staying and I worried about seeing it again.

But then we got down there.

There was nothing. The hole was empty and there wasn't any sign of anybody having been down here so I pushed aside the assumption that Jeb was taking it on a walk.

Everything and its boxes got packed neatly into the small hole and I looked one more time at it, still thinking it'd magically pop out but nothing. Kyle came to stand beside me. "Looking for your parasite, Howe?"

"Shut up, O'Shea," I replied and tried to walk away from him.

He followed me. "No, really. Are you? Because if I didn't know any better, I'd think you want it alive."

"I don't," I said defensively.

"It's better off this way," he said as if I hadn't spoken. "The thing belongs dead. I just hope it was my brother that got it done. Make me proud."

I scoffed. "That's stupid."

"Excuse me?" he asked. "Which part?"

"That Ian should or could do it, first of all," I told him. "Or that it'd be better off that she was dead."

"She?" he questioned. "Man, you're forgetting. That was not your girl. Not anymore. The sooner you can separate the two, the easier it will be."

"I can separate," I say.

But can I? That might seem like a simple slip but I was defending that one of them didn't belong dead. Kyle was right. I was just glad to be done with it. I'd never have to see Melanie-not-Melanie ever again.

Boy, was I wrong.

We entered the dining area and there it was, sitting right next to Jamie and my son in a stroller next to its end of the table sit. I was seeing red. "What the hell is this?"

Jeb turned to look at me, not at all alarmed. "We're having dinner."

"With that?" I spat and nodded my head in its direction. No. This was not happening.

"Yes, with Wanda," Ian answered.

_"Ian?"_ Kyle exclaimed. "Are you on their side now?"

"No," he answered. "She's on ours."

I shook my head. "What is this? And _Wanda_? You gave it _a name_?"

"She already had a name," Jeb told me. "We just never asked it."

"I can't believe this," Kyle interrupted. "What did you let happen here, Jeb?"

"Nothing," he answers simply.

"Jeb," he seems to think I'm kidding. I'm not, I'm not even close to kidding. I'm furious at seeing that...thing sit besides Melanie's brother and her son as if it was her. "I'm taking her back to the hole."

"You can't!" Jamie stood up. "She's my friend!"

I gave Jeb a look, one of disapproval and walked to where it sat. "No, Jamie, it's not." Then I turned to it and grabbed it by the arm. "It's coming with me."

It gave me a panicked look but I didn't care. "Please."

Ian stepped in front of me. "Jared, let her go."

"No," I told him.

And right when the word left my mouth, Kyle stepped in front of him, helping me move out of the room and away from the stares I was getting. In the corner of my eye, I could see Maggie and Sharon were disgusted I would touch it but proud I'm not with Ian and Jamie. I just kept moving.

Once out of everyone's eyes, I threw its body - Mel's body - over my shoulder. I had carried her plenty of times and I knew how light her body would feel. But this was different. This was someone else, some_thing_ else. My Melanie was gone and Kyle was right - I needed to separate.

We reached the hole fast with it on my back and when we got to the entrance I tore it off my back and slammed it into the boxes. It cowered, scared. I didn't care. This wasn't a person. It didn't have feelings.

"You need to stay away from Jamie," I told it and pointed my finger to its face. "Never. Or to my son. Do you understand?"

It nodded slowly.

"Speak!" I yelled at it. "I know you can. I've heard you talk before. Now do it."

"Yes," it gulped. "I understand."

"You're gonna stay here," I told it. "And you're gonna listen to whatever I want them to do with you. Jeb put me in charge of you and you're going to deal with it. If I want him to get rid of you, I will."

It nodded again, this scared look on its face. Melanie's face. I hated to yell at her but it wasn't her. I had to keep reminding myself. This was for her. She'd be here if it wasn't for this thing inside her body.

I started to walk away and turned to see Jamie standing there. He was looking at me in shock. "How can you yell at her like that? You'd never yell at Melan -"

"Melanie's gone," I said. "That thing is not Melanie."

He swallowed hard and looked at me with sad eyes. "Doesn't it bother you to yell at her face? To throw her?"

I stared the kid right in the eyes to see if he was trying to trick me somehow. Maybe he was one of them now and I didn't notice it in the dining area. But no. He was still human, still Jamie. "No."

He stook his hand at me. "You're not the Jared I knew."

He ran off and I moved after him, not bothering to look back at the cowering alien in the storage hole. "Jamie! Wait!"

I ran after him but he ran faster. He got to our room much sooner than I did and slammed the door at me. I stood there and began to knock. "Kid, come on. Let me in."

He didn't answer and after a long while, I left and let him be. I ran into Kyle who was waiting at the hallway closet to my room. His face didn't look gloating. It actually looked serious for once so I prepared myself.

"We found something out there," he told me.

"What?" I asked. "Another alien?"

He nodded. "But this one's a Seeker."

"Seeker?" I repeated. "Did it follow us home?"

"I'm not sure," he shook his head. "We were sure to make sure no one see us."

I nodded this time. "So what do we do?"

"We already blocked off any sign of anyone down here," he answered. "Hopefully that helps."

"The mirrors?"

"Done and done."

I looked back at the way I came when I followed Jamie out here. "Do you think it's here for it?"

"Or they're working together," he answered.

"But why wait this long to find it?" I said out loud to myself really. "Why wouldn't it follow right after?"

"Maybe it was supposed to be a quick mission," he said. "But since it's been gone for weeks now, the others are coming to look for it now."

"Maybe," I agreed. "What did Jeb say?"

"He thinks it's looking for it," he said. "But..."

"But what?"

"But he doesn't think they were working together."

"Figures," I mutter. "He's on the parasite's side now."

"I guess it's up to us then to question it," he replies.

"I guess so."

And so we walk back to the storage hole where the parasite was last seen sitting on boxes. When we get closer, I start to think maybe Jeb came and took it away. It doesn't look like a body could be in there but the closer we get, the better we see inside. There, bundled into a ball in a corner of the hole is the alien.

Kyle steps forward first. "One of your friends is outside, parasite. It's looking to find you and kill us all."

I stay in place and so does it. It just looks up at him with silver ringed Melanie eyes and looks scared.

"But it's not going to get us," Kyle explains to it. "Your Seeker is never going to find you, or us. We're going to make damn sure of that."

"Seeker," it says.

"What did you say?" I ask it.

"Seeker," it says again but more loudly this time.

"Yes, we know it's a Seeker," Kyle says. He's clearly annoyed at this not going anywhere yet. "But you're going to tell us all about this Seeker in black."

"Black?" It asks. "Oh, no."

"Oh no what?" I ask. "You do know what one we're talking about that?"

"Yes," it says. "That Seeker...she's my Seeker."

"Yours?" Kyle asks. "Like you each have one?"

"Yes," it looks to me. "I don't want to talk to him."

Kyle laughs. "Me? You don't want to talk to _me_?"

"Who do you want then?" I say. "Jeb? Or how about _Jamie_?"

I make Jamie's name into a sneer so it'd understand just how much I won't let that happen. It answers though. "I want Ian."

"Ian!" Kyle laughs. "My stupid brother! My God. What has he done now? Gotten into the bed of an alien!"

I flinch when he says that. That'd be like him in bed with...I couldn't even think it. I try to sway it. "You'd talk to Ian?"

It nods. "Yes."

"You're not getting Ian," I tell it. "You get us. So either you tell us right now what you know about that Seeker or we could just kill you right now."

I see something flash in its eyes. For a moment I see Melanie and my eyes burn. No. It stands up, trying to look brave. Huh. Wouldn't think the parasite would need to be brave. Its kind already killed how many of us humans? Two must mean nothing to them.

"The Seeker suspects I'm not like the others," it begins. "It started with the pregnancy months ago."

We both listen and watch it as it explans.

"She pressured me for a name. I never knew this body's name until the day the baby kicked. The memories were locked. That didn't please the Seeker. She got angry."

"Your kind can get angry?" Kyle interrupted. His face looked ready to laugh. "Those tv programs you guys showed were worse than anything before violence, sex and swears came around!"

I gave Kyle a look to shut up, that we were finally getting it to talk. He quickly closed his mouth and I gave it a nod to continue.

"Yes, she can and did," it says. "She threatened to put herself inside the body, that she would force the memories out. But I said no. So did my healer. He told her she had to wait for the baby to be born before any souls were switched."

Souls. Not exactly the word I'd expect to call them. "So what then?"

"Once James was born," it sighed. "Seeker asked my Healer every day if she could be put inside this body. For everytime he said no, she got more furious. So instead, she came to me asking to put a soul into James' body."

I swallowed hard. One of them inside my son? I hoped to God that wasn't ever going to happen and I would fight til my last breath to make it not happen.

"I told her no every time she asked me it. But she got tired of it. So one day, I packed his stuff and I left. I needed to protect my son."

Hate and anger formed in my throat more than ever. "Your son? He is not your son! His mother was an amazing woman. You are not her."

"I'm sorry," it shook his head. Her face seemed like something else, like she was thinking really hard. "I didn't mean that. Melanie always corrects me when -"

"_Melanie corrects you_?" I manage to get out.

Kyle looked between the two of us. "Whoa."

"What the hell does that mean?" I ask. "Melanie is no longer here. Because of you! You don't get to speak about her in the present tense. You don't get to speak about her at all."

"I'm sorry," it repeats but I had enough. I walk to it and hit hard across its - Melanie's - face. Hearing it talk about the woman I love made me sick. I wouldn't allow this.

Kyle stands there stunned and obviously disappointed he wasn't the one who got to hit it. But a throat clearing behind us makes all three of us look towards the hallway. The way the parasite was looking earlier, that scared expression, well it must be mirrored on my face now.

"What, may I ask, is going on down here?" Jeb asks me and Kyle.

"Jeb, I -"

"Nothing from you, Jared," he snaps at me. Then he looks down at the shivering alien on the floor and his face softens. "Are you all right, honey?"

I roll my eyes and want to say something but considering what he just saw, I don't think he'd hesistate in throwing me out right now if I said something.

It nodded. "I'm fine."

Jeb smiled at her but his face turned to acid when it looked at me and Kyle. "You two, go on out of here."

"Me?" Kyle questions poutingly. "I didn't do anything!"

"You aided," he answers. "Now. Go."

The two of us walk slowly down the hallway back to the rooms. I look back and see Jeb kneel in front of the parasite and check its face. I feel disgusted all over again but especially at myself for leaving. What did I let Jamie get close to?

We walked back down to Doc's and I peeked in. Kyle had broken off to his own room but I wasn't sure Jamie would let me in. I definitely knew he wouldn't when Jeb returned from the tunnels.

Sure enough, the baby was in here. They must have made him a makeshift crib next to the beds because there James was, fast asleep in what looked like a homemade crib. I smiled like I hadn't in months.

James. My son.

I sat beside him and Doc watched me, saying nothing. He let me have the moment I so very much needed, especially right now. I could still feel the sting of Melanie's face under my palm. I looked into my son's eyes and saw Melanie and some of myself in there.

That's it, I said to myself. This kid will help me heal. He'll make me better.

And that night, I fell asleep at Doc's, holding my small son's hand.


	8. Being able to laugh

Wanda's POV

"Does it still hurt?" Jeb asked me as he scanned my face.

I shook my head and it was true. My cheek didn't hurt...not anymore. It had stung both my face and my heart when Jared's hand struck me. But now, after minutes passing and Jeb making sure I was all right, it was starting to feel better.

_I can't believe he hit me,_ Melanie murmered.

_He hit me, _I told her_. Not you._

I could feel her rolling her eyes. But I ignored her and stayed focus on Jeb looking at me, as if he could tell if I was lying. "Why were they down here?"

"They said there was a Seeker," I answered. "They wanted to know about her."

"And what did you tell them?" he asks.

"That I knew her," I said honestly. "What she and I went through before."

Jeb nodded. "And Jared - what did you say that made him hit you?"

"It was a slip," I said.

"What was?"

He looked so curious, wondering. He deserved the truth after everything he had done for me. And everything he knew. "I mentioned Melanie."

He closed his eyes and whispered a word I had never heard before. I assumed it was a swear word since the souls didn't swear, ever. "What did he say before?"

I took a deep breath, remembering every second of the encounter by heart. "He told me that James wasn't my son and that was when I said her name. Jared told me that I don't get to speak about her because I'm the reason she's not here." 

He swore again. "Sounds like that boy needs a talking to. Remind him who's in charge around here."

"No," I told Jeb. "Don't do that. Please."

He stared at me for a moment. Maybe he was thinking about Melanie. Maybe he was questioning if Jared was right to hit me. Whatever it was, he sighed and asked, "Why do you want to protect him?"

"Jamie," I answer.

"There's more than that," he shakes his head. "There's something else." Jeb's quiet for a moment then says in a low voice. "You care about him, don't you? Almost the way my niece did?"

I'm quiet. I stare down at my feet and keep my head down. I can feel Melanie's Uncle's eyes on me though but still, I stay silent.

"That's it, isn't it?" he says. "You about him the way my niece did."

His voice wasn't accusing, just wondering. Because of that, I whispered out a small "Yes."

"Now it makes sense," he says to himself. "Why you didn't let Kyle hit him and why you don't want me talk to him about what he did to you."

"I don't want him to get kicked out," I explained in the same small voice.

"Because you care about him," he stated.

"For Jamie too," I answer. "And James. He needs his father since his mother is gone."

"As far as I'm concerned," he says with a small smile on his face. "She's right here."

I connect his words to his expression. "I can't tell him."

"Why not?" he asks. "You don't think he'll believe you?"

"He'll think I'm lying to him," I explain. "Especially after what just happened when I mentioned Melanie. He won't let me get the words out."

"You might be underestimating him."

I think back to how he's been towards me since he saw me. "I don't think I am."

He nods. "Well, all right. You don't have to tell him. I won't force you to. But I will force you to come to Doc's with me."

"No." I shake my head.

"Wanda," he says in a serious yet not mean voice. "He'll make sure you're all right."

"I am all right," I reply. "It was just a slap. I don't need to see a doctor."

"It might have been but you're my guest here, Wanda so you will do as I say," he tells me. I can tell he's teasing. And if I couldn't, Melanie whispers it to me. I finally give in, nodding and let Jeb take me to Doc's.

When we get there, he stops right in front of the door. "You," he says. "Out. Now."

I don't know who he's talking to but I peek around Jeb and there stands the reason he took me here.

"I was just checking on my son," Jared explains.

"Yeah and now you're leaving," he tells him.

Jared finally notices me standing there but Jeb stands between us. Even after what he did to me and to Melanie, I want to be near him. I don't know why but I feel like there's this magnet trying to pull me closer to him. And also that it would if Jeb wasn't in the middle of us.

I look up at Jeb and whisper, "He can stay."

Jared tilts his head at me. He looks curious. It's obvious he didn't hear me and I don't know if I'm relieved or sad. "Now, Wanda..."

"Let him stay," I say.

I really don't want to be the reason Jared has to leave James. Not after everything else I've done that he knows I did.

_You didn't do anything_, Melanie tells me. _It was your kind._

_But still._

_But nothing,_ she says. _He's being a jerk. Let him know it._

I mentally shake my head at her. Jeb sighs. "Jared, take James to your room maybe. I want to get Wanda checked out."

Jared nods and swallows. He lifts the small boy into the stroller and walks to the doorway. Me and Jeb stand inside and off to the side so he can get out. But as he passes me, I see something in his eyes. I'm not sure what it is. I'm not even sure if it's positive or negative.

Once he's gone, I feel an ache in my chest. But this time it's for both the man Melanie loves and her child. I wish I could curl back into my hole but I can't because just as I think this, Doc comes walking in.

Jeb explains to him what happened. Doc tries to keep a neutral face when he tells him who hit me. He checks me out and tells me maybe I should sleep in here tonight, that I would be safe here. Jeb agrees, although he says if Jamie finds out, I could stay with him again. Melanie explains to me because Jamie wouldn't let Jared stay there for hitting me.

_That's crazy!_

_It's the truth. Jamie would do anything to protect me. And he cares about you, too, Wanda._

I laugh internally.

_He does!_

_Okay. I still think it's for you, though._

_Even if it is, he'll still be protecting you._

That was true. I needed to thank whoever I could that he believed me and befriended me. She agreed with me in the back of my mind.

I fall asleep on one of the cots at Doc's and wake up to find not Doc or Jeb even but someone completely different waiting there.

"Hello, Wanda."

"Hello, Ian," I reply.

"I came looking for you this morning and Jeb told me you were in here," he said. "What happened?"

"Jared's home," I say. "I decided to not stay in his room while he's home."

Ian nodded, not convinced. "What really happened, Wanda?"

I face my head down. "Nothing."

"Wanda," he says and walks so he is right in front of me. "I can tell when you're lying. Tell me what happened."

"Jared...hit me yesterday," I say slowly. I look up at his face and see it's furious. "It was nothing. Forget I told you."

"Not likely," he says. Melanie feels a pang of memory. Jared once said the same two words to her when she told him to forget she mentioning him not needing to sleep on the cot early in their relationship.

He's about to walk out of the room when I call his name. "Ian."

Ian turns around. "Yeah?"

"Will you stay here with me?" I ask him. "I'm alone and I don't want to be alone. People...they don't like me. I'm afraid."

He nods and sits on the bed next to mine. "Okay."

And so he stays. He asks me about my kind, not calling them parasites like he once thought or his brother and Jared still do. I tell him stories about other planets, other bodies I've been in. He asks me about Earth so far, what my life here was like before I escaped to the caves. That was his exact word - escaped.

"I was a teacher," I answer with a smile. Teaching had been something I loved of my old life on Earth. It was probably one of the few things I had missed about it, actually.

"A teacher?" He smiles back. "What did you teach?"

"History of the other planets," I answer simply. Ian gives me a look that he doesn't understand that. I laugh. "Most of the souls haven't been to almost all of the planets yet but I have. Seeker got me a job teaching other souls about what it's like to be a Bear or a Spider."

"Spider?" he asks with a big smile. "So there's a whole planet full of only spiders? That's a scary thought."

My laugh turns to a smile. "It's not so scary when you're inside one. You know you look the same to them as they do to you."

"See, that just creeps me out even more," he laughs.

I find that I like Ian O'Shea's laugh. I like that he makes me laugh. He even comes to visit me when I feel lonely and Jeb has to take care of the other humans and Jamie's in his own classes.

_You can't have feelings for him._

_Feelings?_

Eye roll. _Yes, feelings. Liking, for example._

_I can't like Ian?_

_No._

_Why not?_

_Because you're in my body and while you're in it, you listen to what I say. No liking Ian._

I didn't understand Melanie at all. Didn't she want me to like the humans? To get along?

_There's liking them and then there's _liking.

_What's the difference?_

_A big one._

I try to ask her again but she doesn't answer this time. Instead I sit there and look and Ian and wonder why I'm not supposed to like him. We keep talking for a long time. I lose track of the time and before we know it, Jamie comes running in and tells me he's done with classes. He wants to hang out with me.

I look at Ian and his face gives nothing away. Jamie waits for an answer and I smile at Melanie's little brother. "Okay."

Jamie jumps up in excitement. "We should play a game!"

"Okay," I say again but with a smile. "What game would you like to play?"

"Soccor!" he screams. "Mel always loved playing soccor."

I nod, swallowing the lump in my throat. He probably still thought of me as his sister. And in a way, she was here but I didn't want to hurt him.

_I don't want that, either, _Melanie agreed with me.

Just as Jamie grabs for my hand, I slide off the table. Ian grabs my arm lightly and whispers into my ear, "Would Jared be there?"

"I don't know," I say.

"I'm coming with you," he states.

I have no time to argue and I decided, did I really want to argue? I liked being around Ian. He makes me feel safe here when so many humans disliked me, some even hate. I would let him stay with me and go play soccor.

Only two people are in the game room as Jamie calls it when we get there. Jamie introduces them as Wes and Lily. I remember Wes being one of my guards when I was in the hole. Lily offers us to play with them. Ian sits out since there's only five of us but obviously he wants to sit there in case his brother or Jared come by.

Me and Lily are on a team against Jamie and Wes. After what seems like a half hour or so, we sit down and take a break. Turns out Melanie's body really was good at this game and so far, the girls team was winning.

Dinner passes and the five of us sit together. Everyone glares at Ian, Jamie, Lily and Wes as if they've chosen the dark side. Melanie told me the reference and I don't quite understand it but she told me to trust her on it, it makes perfect sense.

After dinner, Ian and Jamie both offer me to stay in their rooms tonight instead of Doc's. Melanie screams no to Ian's room, giving the reason of Kyle and the earlier conversation of liking. I still don't understand but I understand the Kyle part perfectly.

I wonder if Jared would let me stay in their room. I quickly answer myself with a no, not wanting him to do anything to me. Jamie says he's going to go find him to ask him and I nod, standing in the room I'd gotten so used to in Jared's absence.

I don't hear the footsteps until they're standing in the doorway of the room. I turn, thinking Jamie's come back and to tell me Jared said no. But it's not Jamie. Instead, I see someone I would recognize anywhere.

"Jared," I whisper.

"Is it true?" he asks.

That's when I notice the expression on his face. It's not the same man who hit me yesterday. This man looks broken, like the one I'd encountered when I first saw him for real, not just through memories.

I try to talk to him through the pain in my chest. "Is what?"

"Melanie," he says. At first I think he's calling me her name but then he says something else. "Is she alive? In there with you?"

I swallow hard. "Why do you ask that?"

"Jeb said something to me," he answers. "Now Jamie. Tell me. Is it true?"

I stare into his eyes. It doesn't feel like a trick. If he was going to hit me again, why go through this? I nod slowly and hear him take a deep breath.

"Yes, she is."

**What do you think? Jared's finding out about Melanie! And Ian and Wanda! Maybe she'll understand liking pretty soon :P**

**Leave a review please? **


	9. Waking up

_"Melanie. Is she alive? In there with you?"_

_"Why do you ask that?"_

_"Jeb said something to me. Now Jamie. Tell me. Is it true?"_

_"Yes, she is."_

**Jared's POV**

I'm unable to say anything. Do I believe it? Do I trust the words coming out of its mouth? I'm not sure.

But I want to. I want to so bad.

"How do I know this isn't some lie to get Jamie on your side?" I ask it.

It shakes its head. "It's not."

I shake my head now. "You could lie. You would. You could be playing us, using Melanie against us."

"I'm not," it whispers.

"Prove it," I tell it. I have no idea how it would but I don't know what else to do. I'm too tempted to believe it that I want her to be alive in there.

It looks up at me, not understanding. Of course. I don't understand myself how to. I sigh and take a deep breath. "Wanda..."

It looks me dead in the eyes. It feels like I'm talking to Melanie when she does that. "Talk to me. Tell me something about her."

"She misses you," it tells me. I close my eyes, trying to imagine Melanie's talking to me. "She's shown me memories of you."

My eyes stay closed. "Memories?"

"Yes," it says.

"What ones?" I ask, willing to let the hole inside of me break open if she says a real one.

"When the two of you met," I hear. "The night she offered you the bed. Looking at the album with the cave drawing. There was a lot more."

I sigh, remembering those moments. I remembered them all too well. They felt like years ago. I opened my eyes. "You didn't just access those? Like you told Jeb?"

"I..."

"What?"

"I lied to him," she says, putting her head down. "I didn't want to tell him about her yet."

"You lied," I echo. "I thought you - souls - " I used to word it said before. "- you didn't lie."

"It's not in us to lie," it admits.

It looks nervous. I suppose what happened before did it, my hitting her. Now that I thought back to it, I felt stupid and regretted it. How could I hit her? It may not be Melanie but it was her body, her face. Even her voice. So what if it wasn't her words? I didn't have to right to hit her, especially if there really was a chance she was alive inside there.

"Was it because of me?" I ask. "How I reacted before when you said her name?"

It nods. "I was afraid."

"That was my fault," I tell it. "I'm sorry."

I walk closer to her and tilt her head up with my fingers. I ignore the silver rings in her eyes and pretend it's me and Melanie, just like it used to be. She stares up at me, right into my eyes. I wonder what exactly she's thinking but I barely even know what I'm thinking right now.

It seemed like one minute I was asking her if Melanie was alive, and the next, now, my lips were on hers. She responded back instantly, like neither of us needed time to process what was happening.

I kiss her and she kisses me back. My hands are on her back, pulling me towards her and her hands are in my hair. Just like they used to be. But just as quick as the kiss started, her hands are out of my hair and she slaps me across the face.

I stumble back towards the wall and try to balance my footing. Okay, I deserved that. It's not like I didn't do the same thing or worse. When I look back to tell her that I shouldn't have done that, I'm shocked by what's before me.

She's holding her right hand with the other one. Her face looks...about as stunned as I do. It looks terrified. It's that second that I realize it wasn't the alien, Wanda, who hit me. It was Melanie.

I stare at her in shock. Watching for any sign she's pretending that reaction. There's none.

In a whisper, I say, "Mel?"

Her head shoots up at me. Like she forgot I was there. Like she was too busy talking to someone one else maybe, someone inside her head, about what happened. Melanie. She's in there.

"Mel," I say again. Her beautiful watches me, unable to speak. "You're really in there, aren't you? Mel."

She still says nothing but I don't care. I keep talking. She needs to know.

"I love you, Mel," I tell her. "So much. And I miss you. You know that wasn't for it - that was for you. Mel, come back to me. I love you."

She starts crying a flood of tears. I don't know which part it is now - Melanie or Wanda. I stand there and wait for a reply but nothing. She storms out in tears and I'm left there in me and Jamie's room alone again.

I sit down on the bed and break down myself.

It's a long while later when Jamie finally comes back. By that point, I stopped thinking about what happened. I pushed it away and locked it up. I had a job to do, a son to take care of. Jamie to take care of. There was no time for me to fall apart like that.

"Something happened," he told me when he entered the room.

I stand right up. "James? Is he okay?"

"It's not James," he tells me. "Wanda."

"Wanda?" I ask then feel guilty about everything I'd done to her in the last forty-eight hours. "What is it?"

"Kyle..." he says and I know then.

"He tried to kill her, didn't he?" I ask. Jamie nods. I'm gonna kill him.

I follow behind him as he runs to Doc's at a not-too-fast pace. We get to the doorway and I see Kyle is very bruised. He has scrapes on his arms and the side of his face. But that's nothing to how Wanda looks. She isn't even sitting up. Doc has her leg in a make-shift brace and he's putting his fingers to her skin, asking if it hurts.

She winces even though she says no. I watch her and notice just how much pain she's in. Doc feels her stomach and she makes a face, wincing worse than she had so far. He pulls her shirt up, off her stomach and I feel even myself gasp. Her stomach is red and bruised, obviously like someone had done it to her.

I looked back over at Kyle. I really could kill him.

And it's in that I see what was so wrong with me the other day. I never should have hated Wanda. It wasn't her fault she's in Melanie's body. It's not even her fault she's here, on Earth. But it is my fault I treated her like it is. I'd have to tell her I was sorry, really sorry, for what I've done.

"Wanda, your injuries are bad," Doc explains to her.

"I'm fine," she lies. Me and everyone else can see that. "I just need a rest."

"You need more than a rest," he tells her.

"Wanda," Jeb says. "What exactly happened out there?"

"Kyle was walking and he slipped," she says. Another lie. "I got hurt trying to help him."

I'm shaking my head and Ian looks at me. "What, Jared? What hole are you finding in her words now?"

"She's lying," I say. "Look at her! That's not just from pulling Kyle up."

Jeb looks at me then back to Wanda. "Are you telling me the truth, Wanda? Or did he try to come after you?"

"He fell," she said. "We both did."

"If that's what it says, that's what happened," I turn and notice Maggie and Sharon standing in the corner of the room. Maggie speaks again, "Kyle did nothing wrong."

Ian glares at her. "We'll see."

Doc finishes checking her out and tells her she needs to stand on crutches. She hurt her legs pretty bad in the "fall", dislocating her knee too. He finds the crutches that me and Ian stole on one of my first raids and passes them over to her. I watch as Ian walks to her, wraps his arms around her back and helps her off the table. She checks standing with and without the crutches.

Kyle glares at his brother. "Should have killed it weeks ago."

Ian didn't hear him but I did. I look at him and let him know what I heard. He's already had his suspicions about me so let him. Screw whatever he thought.

Ian helped Wanda walk out but when he passed Kyle, he whispered to him in a serious voice. "You don't ever touch Wanda again. You understand?"

He put his hands in mock surrender. "Okay, okay."

I watched as Melanie's body hobbled out of the room and down the halls but then Ian picked her up and carried her. I had no idea where. Instead of worrying some more, I went by James, who was back in his crib in the room. He was still too small to be always out and about and Doc and Jeb demanded they keep an eye on him. I knew it was to make sure he was all right but it also made me want to sleep in here twenty-four/seven.

"How's James?" I ask Doc as I pass him.

"He's doing very well," he answered. "As good as you'd expect a three month old."

Hearing him say three months made me realize how long since Melanie's body had returned to me and introduced me to my son. It's been three weeks since I met him. I held his fingers in mine and watched him smile.

"We're gonna need to get more food on the raid for him," I told Jeb without taking my eyes off my little boy.

"All right," Jeb said. "I knew Wanda brought food for him but I wasn't too sure how much. How long do you think the food will last?"

I shrugged. "I'm not sure. I might have to check."

"You do that," Jeb told me. "If it's soon, though, you better check it fast."

"I'll check," Jamie offered.

I finally turned to look at him. "Thanks."

Jamie nodded and ran off to the dining area. I guessed he still didn't know everything that had happened between me and Wanda.

Kyle was watching James and me. I didn't understand why exactly but the look in his eyes didn't look angry. Surprise, surprise. Jeb had walked out to talk to Doc so it was just us. "What?"

"What happened to you?" he asked me.

I stiffened. "What do you mean?"

"Are you officially on the parasite's side now?" he said. "Because it pretty much seemed like that."

"No," I said. But I knew my mind was changing. I didn't want to tell Kyle though. "I'm not on the alien side now. I'm on my son's. And she - it - took care of him. I'm trying to be kinder, which you could stand to be, you know."

He chuckled and clapped his hands. "Kinder? What about what I saw yesterday? That hit? Was that kind?"

"No, that wasn't," I admit. "But I know what I did was wrong."

He hopped off his seat and came closer to me and James. "That's just the thing, Jared! It's not the wrong thing. You turned onto its side and won't even admit it!"

"Fine!" I yell back. "I admit whatever you want me to admit. Now can you just quiet down? He's finally asleep and I don't want you being an ass to wake him up."

"Whatever," he rolled his eyes and backed up to his seat.

Jeb and Doc walked back in. "Kyle, we've decided what to do with you."

"Do with me?" he asked.

"About what happened," Doc answered.

"You tried to kill a member of the community, Kyle," Jeb said simply. "We're gonna put it to a vote at a trial."

"What?" he exclaimed. "Jared slapped it! He doesn't get a penalty!"

Jeb looked at me. "He did wrong, yes. But since his plan wasn't murder and out of concern for his son, he's getting punished another way."

That made me lift my head and look their way. "What way?"

"You'll see," Jeb smirked.

A few minutes after his hints, Brandt and Wes came walking in, helping a very out of it Walter walk. They laid him down on one of the beds.

"What's wrong with him?" Jeb asked them.

"We're not sure," Wes answered. "But we think he's sick."

"What kind?"

"I don't know but he's in a lot of pain."

"Pain?" Doc asked and looked at him. He screamed and yelled whenever Doc touched him to examine. After a few minutes of that, Doc spoke again. "Jeb, I think he's dying."

I leaned my head down with James and closed my eyes tight. We were going to lose one of us.

**A/N: I'm switching some of the scenes up! **

**But is Jared really on Wanda's side now? He did just hit her after all. But remember, he hits her in the book more than once and slowly gets there too so maybe he will again :3 **

**I wanted to mention Wanda's feelings on the slap. She believes that Jared hates her in the book because of being inside of Melanie's body and in here, she believes it too no matter what her feelings for him are. My Wanda is very much like SM"s Wanda and in here, she thinks he was right to hit her. She's in the woman he loves' body and if it wasn't for her, she believes, they'd be together. So she takes it because if his anger is all he has left because of her being taken, then she lets him. I want to hug her so bad, even as I write, I swear.**

**But it's going to get better : )**


	10. Liking Ian

**Wanda's POV**

Ian carried me down the hallway of the tunnels, trying to get me far away from Doc's. I didn't understand. I was different from him. Kyle was his brother. Why would he side with me over not just a brother, but another human?

I looked as his face as he took me wherever he was taking me. He seemed concentrated. He was probably making sure to get me away. I had to admit, he had an attractive face.

_No._

_What did I do now?_

_Don't be thinking Ian's attractive. Not in my body, no._

_Nothing is going on with me and Ian._

_That's what you say now, _Melanie says. _But what happens when you blurt that stuff out? He'll take it the wrong way._

_Ian wouldn't, _I defend. _Besides, he's a human. He doesn't like me in any way you fear._

_Uh-huh. Keep telling youself that._

_What does that mean?_

No answer. I sighed. It figured.

Ian watched me curiously. His eyebrow peaked up and I was about to ask what was the look for when we stopped walking. I looked around. We were in front of the bedrooms but I wasn't used to this part of the halls.

"Where are we?" I asked.

He smiled at me. "My room."

"Your room?" I repeated. "Why?"

"Because I am kicking Kyle out," he put me down and I stood on the crutches that had been in my hands since he lifted me off of the ground. "And you are staying here."

"I am?"

_This is a bad idea,_ Melanie said.

"Yes," he was still smiling at me.

"Why?" I asked again.

"Because I'm going to keep you safe," he told me in a calm voice.

I nodded, surprised. He finally got the door open and made a hand movement for me to follow him inside. When I didn't, he walked back over to me. "What's wrong?"

"I don't think I should."

He tilted his head to the side. "How come? Do you think Kyle will come back?"

"No," I shook my head. "Kyle fell and I tried to -"

"I know that's a lie, Wanda," he says. "But not that. Do you think he'll come to the room?"

"No," I answer.

"Then what is it?"

I hesistate and he watches me. I should just say something. "It's...Melanie."

He gives me a look then understands. "That's the girl you're inside."

"Yes," I say.

"What does she have to do with it?" he asks.

A deep breath now. "She...she talks to me sometimes. Most of the time, actually. And she doesn't like me being around you."

His face is serious for a moment than he laughs. "Is that the best excuse you came up with?"

"It's not an excuse," I say. I don't understand. Why would I need an excuse.

"Oh, come on," Ian says. "Just admit you're scared of Kyle. You don't have to make things up about a human being alive and talking to you."

"It's not an excuse," I say again. "She really does talk to me."

My face must show how serious I am because Ian stops laughing. "Oh my God. You're serious."

I nod. "Yes."

"So you talk to her?" he asks. "You say something, she says something back. Like there's two of you inside of that body?"

I nod again. "Yes."

"Wow," he says and backs up, sitting down on his bed. At least I think it's his bed. "So humans can stay alive inside their bodies once they're taken?"

"Not all of them," I answer. I'm not really sure though. "I've heard stories but didn't know what it was like."

"When did you first know about Melanie inside there with you?"

I walk into the room and sit in a chair across from him. "I think I always knew. There was a wall inside my head. I couldn't get over it."

"That was Melanie?" he asks. "She blocked you?"

"For months."

"She has the power to do that?"

I never thought of it like that. It takes me a moment to answer. "Yes. I guess she does."

He nods now, thinking. "Does Jared know?"

I look up at him and nod slowly. "Yes."

"Does Jamie know? Jeb?"

"They knew first," I say.

We sit in silence for a few minutes and I look around the room from my seat. It's a very simple room, but more to it then my old home out there with other souls. They have a desk, a computer sits on top of it but it looks like it's been a while since it got used. There's some books and chairs. The beds and a hamper for each of the brothers, I guessed, to keep their clothes in since there were no dressers.

I must have fallen asleep during the quiet because when I wake up, I'm no longer in the chair. I lay on the bed Ian was sitting on earlier when we talked. When I open my eyes wider, I see Ian sitting a chair on the other side of the room, off to a corner.

He smiles at me when I open my eyes. I stretch, not used to this bed and sit up. "I fell asleep?"

"Yeah," he says. "You didn't look very comfortable in the chair so I moved you to my bed."

I give him a smile. "You didn't have to. I've slept worse."

His smile fades as he remembers the hole I stayed in. I was sure the thought of trying to strangle me was not far away from that.

"I'm sorry for what I did," he said, confirming my thoughts. "I should have never sided with Kyle in the first place."

"It's okay, Ian," I say and try to give him a reassuring smile. I remember the healers doing that when you got badly hurt.

"It's not!" He exclaims and stands up. "My brother is wrong. I should have seen it sooner. But now that I know you, Wanda. I know it's right to be on your side. I just hope you forgive me for it."

Hearing him say that makes me smile. "Of course I forgive you, Ian."

"You do?"

"Yes."

He walks over to me and sits beside me on the bed. "Wanda, I hope you know you deserve better. Better than here, better than this. We didn't treat you right when you first came here. We judged you. We had no right to. You didn't do it. Just because you're one of them doesn't mean you had a say in what happened."

"Ian..."

"No," he says. "Let me finish. I'm going to try my hardest to make sure no one comes after you again. You're a good person, Wanda. I see that now. I just wish everyone else would."

He rubs his fingers on my chin, moving my head to the side. I know he can see where Jared had slapped me. It didn't leave a bad mark but it had been red after. I was sure the accident with Kyle had made that seem tame in comparision however. Whatever small mark that made was sure to be outweighed by my legs and ribs.

"Wanda..." he says. His voice is barely above a whisper. He moved closer to me and I can feel his breath on my face. "Would it be insane if I kissed you right now?"

"Yes," I answer without thinking.

He pulls back. "Of course. You wouldn't want me to kiss you."

I don't really know what to say. I didn't even pause when Jared kissed me. Why with Ian?

_Because we don't love Ian,_ Melanie supplies for me.

She was right. But I liked Ian. It wasn't that I didn't think anything of him. To be honest, I wasn't sure how I felt about him.

"I think I should go," I say in a small voice.

"Go where?"

"Back to Doc's."

"No," he says. "Out of the question."

"Ian," I say. "I think you want something I can't give you. I also think it's why I should go."

"Wanda, wait," he says. I begin to stand but he grabs my hand and holds. I look down at it and he lets go, putting his hands up in surrender. "How about you stay here and we just be friends?"

He put his hand down and now holds it in front of him. It looks like half a handshake and then I realize that it must be. I shake it. "Okay."

"Deal," he smiles at me.

We go out of the room to eat. Ian carries me to the dining area and and places me down in a seat. I hold my crutches next to me as he hands me my food. I smile at him and he sits down, noticing we have an audience once again.

"They're watching me," I tell Ian about Maggie and Sharon.

"Ignore them," he says. "They're too stubborn to know how good you are. It's their loss."

I nod but don't agree. Ian should be more like them. I didn't understand why he wanted to stay with me or why he didn't keep his distance.

After a few minutes, Maggie comes to our table. "I hope you know what you caused."

"Excuse me?" Ian asked.

"I didn't mean you," she says. "I mean it."

"Her name's Wanda," he defends.

She ignores him. "The little incident down by the river caused Jeb to have a trial for Kyle. To determine if it's safe with him here. He did the right thing. There should be no trial."

"Maggie," Ian says and begins to stand. "Kyle tried to kill her. You think he just gets a pass for planning to kill someone?"

"No," she says. "When he does try to kill a person, then no, he shouldn't get a pass. But this wasn't a person. It was a parasite and we'd all be better off if it was dead and gone."

"You don't get to speak to her that way," he says, angry.

Maggie turns around and walks away but not before I see a smirk on her face that shows she's proud of what she said and who she said it to.

Ian sits back down and turns to me. "I am so sorry, Wanda."

"You did nothing wrong," I tell him. "Thank you for defending me."

He smiles at me. "Anytime."

He turns back to his food but I stay facing him. "Ian?"

"Yeah?"

"I wanna go to the trial."

"No," he replies. "Absolutely not."

"Why not?" I ask.

"Because first of all, you're hurt," he says. "Second, people might be there who don't like you, like Maggie or Sharon and third, I'm not letting you anywhere near my brother."

"Ian," I try again. "Please take me."

He sighs and then caves. "Okay. All right."

I hug him without thinking. His arms come around my back and hug me back. "Thank you. For that too."

He murmers you're welcome and after dinner, he takes me to where Jeb plans his important meetings. There are a lot of people sitting down and I spy Jared and Jamie in a corner. Jared has the stroller close to him and I wish I could race across the room to see James. My legs tell me I can't and Ian finds us an empty seat.

Jeb starts talking. "Today, Kyle tried to kill one of our own. It doesn't matter if some of you agrue she's not a human. She is still a member of this community and I will not allow those kind of things to just slide."

He talks for a little more and I watch the stroller. I can't see inside of it but Jared occasionally looks inside of it. I see him smile at it.

A voice snaps me back to what's going on. "What matters is it's not human! So what if he tried to kill it? We should have been trying to do that since the day it walked into our home!"

"Magnolia," Jeb says. "I told you that the opinion of person or not didn't matter."

"And I'm telling you it's not a person," she replies.

Jeb shakes his hand. "Who will side with Kyle staying here?"

Maggie and Sharon both raise their hands before his question is even finished. A bunch of others do the same. When he asks about him leaving, I see Ian and Jared's hands go up. I notice Jamie didn't raise his hand and wonder why.

"Wanda, you didn't vote," Jeb points out.

"Why does it get a vote?" Sharon asks. It's the first time I hear her speak in my prescence.

"Because she lives here," Jeb answers.

"It shouldn't get a vote," she retorts. Doc shakes his hand beside her and I remember seeing his hand go for Kyle leaving too.

"She deserves a vote!"

I look across the room and look into the familiar eyes Melanie knows so well. Jared is standing up, Jamie seated beside him and rocking the stroller forward and backward. "You have something to add, Jared?"

"I do," he says. "They seem to think she doesn't deserve a vote because she's not a human. I say she deserves one exactly because of that. And because she is the one he tried to kill, not them. She should have a say more than them."

I glance over at Maggie and her daughter. They're both glaring daggers at Jared. Jeb nods. "I agree with that."

"I do, too," Ian says and stands up. He taps me to say something but I shake my head. "Come on, Wanda. They should know how you feel about this."

I try to stand up and Ian helps me. "Kyle should stay."

Maggie gives a smug look to Ian and Jared and crosses her arms. Jared laughs. "She's even on his side! If that doesn't tell you she deserves a chance here, then what would?"

Ian cocks his head to the side and looks at Jared. We're both confused by the turn of events, it seems.

_I wonder what made him change his mind_, Melanie thinks.

_Maybe because you slapped him after that kiss,_ I reply.

She huffs then. I guess she was still angry Jared kissed me. No amount of him telling her he loves her erased that to her.

"Wanda?" Jeb asks. "Final answer - You want Kyle to stay?"

Ian watches me and so does everyone else. I take a deep breath. "Yes. I want him to stay. He's a human. Humans belong here. He didn't hurt me. He fell."

Jared rolls his eyes and smiles. Ian laughs lightly at me. Jeb nods. "All right, then. I guess it's settled then. Kyle stays."

Kyle, who was silent the whole time and I didn't even notice was in the room for his trial cheers in happiness. He jumps out of his seat and comes towards Ian and hits him lightly on his shoulder.

"Don't worry," he says. "I guess your girlfriend kinda saved my ass. I won't come after her again. Eye for an eye."

"You better not," Ian tells him. "And she's not my girlfriend, either."

Kyle laughs and starts to walk away just as people start piling out of the room. Jared and Jamie stand there a moment with the stroller, watching me with Ian. Well, at least I knew Jared was watching me with him. Jamie was mainly focused on me.

They walk over to me. Jamie runs to me and hugs me tightly around the waist. "I'm happy you're okay, Wanda."

"Me, too," I hug him back.

"Do you want to see James?" Jared asks me. "He's sleeping right now but I haven't really seen you in a while."

"It's okay," I say. "And yes, I would love to see him."

I peek into the stroller and see him fast asleep. He has a little blue hat on and is sucking his thumb. I remembered watching over him at night when he first started doing that. I smile at him and a tear falls from my eye. I wipe it away quickly.

_My James,_ Melanie muses. _He's so handsome already._

_He is. Just look at him_, I say.

_He's gotten bigger,_ she remarks. _He was so tiny the last time we saw him._

_It's been a week since we saw him in more than passing._

_Wow. _

I look up, forcing myself to stop staring at the sleeping baby. And Ian's watching me. He has this wondering look on his face, like he knows I was talking to Melanie just then.

"We have to go on another raid soon," Jared tells me.

I look over to him. "You do?"

"James needs food," he answers. "We didn't know that during the last one and he's running low. I was wondering if...you would watch him when I'm gone."

"Really?" I ask. Is he playing some kind of a trick?

"Really," he says. "Please, Wanda?"

"Of course," I say and can't help myself from smiling.

Ian and Jamie suggest we go play soccor but I turn it down. I wasn't ready to be with everyone during a game. Instead, I head off to Doc's and help him with a man named Walter. He tells me he has cancer and I sit with him, wishing I could help this poor human in some way.


	11. Talking about her

**Jared's POV**

After the soccor game, me and Jamie stayed in the game room and watched James. He had woken up during the game and was laughing. I guessed he enjoyed it because then Jamie helped me sit him up to watch. Seeing his eyes light up and have fun made me smile.

My team won. I had Kyle on my side this time, which was weird considering I went against him at the trial. He told me no hard feelings but I sensed he knew it would come to this. All along, he told me how I was feeling about the Melanie/Wanda situation before even I knew how I felt. It was weird actually.

"Do you think Wanda named him after me?" Jamie asked me.

I looked over at him and remembered when I found out his name. _Like the little boy. Melanie's brother. _"Yeah, buddy. I think so."

He smiles at this. "Really?"

"I think Melanie would have wanted it be like that," I say and cringe mentally. The whole in my chest burns everytime I mention her name.

"So, if Melanie was here," he asks, "would his name still be James?"

"I don't know," I answer truthfully. "Maybe. I'd fight for the name to pass on."

I smiled at him and he laughed. Putting my arm around him by the neck, I leaned his head at me then play pushed it away. He fixed his hair when he was sitting normal again.

"Jared?"

"Yeah?"

"How come we never talk about her?"

He didn't even need to say the name. "Jamie, maybe we should save this for later."

"No!" he stood up and stared down at me. "You always delay it. Why can't we talk about her? She was my sister, Jared! I lost her, too."

"I know," I say to him. "Do you think I didn't? Everytime I looked at you after she was taken, I saw her. Then I would guilty and tell myself I had to take care of you. I thought that every single day."

"You thought of her when you looked at me?"

I nodded. "Every single time."

"I'm sorry," he said in a small voice and sat back down next to me. He peered into the stroller at James then back at me.

"It's not your fault," I told him. "It's mine. I couldn't stop thinking about her and you look like her. It hurt to see the similarities when I didn't have her around."

"I thought about her, too," he says. "Not because you look like her. You don't."

I laughed. "She was more beautiful in every way."

He nodded. "I guess she was, for a sister."

He smiled at me and I smiled back. "I'm sorry we don't talk about her, Jamie. I guess at first it was too much for me. Then as time went on, it was easier to just not talk about her."

"But if you tried?" he asks. "Could you?"

"Maybe," I say. "I don't know how good I'd be at it though."

"Try?"

"Okay."

There's silence at first. I look between him and my son, imagining the day I'll have to tell him about his mother. I didn't think I could be able to do it if I couldn't talk about her with her brother, someone who actually knew her.

I needed to try at least. Jamie was right. And if I could do it now, I could do it then. "What was she like growing up? Before the invasion?"

He let out a sigh. I guessed he didn't think he was going to be sharing stories first. "She used to help Mom make breakfast every Saturday morning. For as long as I can remember."

"Is that why she used to sneak and make us breakfast?" I asked with a laugh.

"Probably," he said, laughing too. "They used to make French Toast and homemade pancakes. The pancakes were my dad's favorite."

"They were mine, too," I whispered. "She told me about your mom. What happened."

"I didn't know she did," he said in a low voice. "Melanie rarely talked about her after the accident."

"Kinda like you and me, huh?" I say. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's okay," he replies. "We're talking about her now at least."

"Right," I agree. "How was she after? Mel?"

"After Mom's car accident?" I nod. "She was quiet. Dad let her not go to school for a month. I was only four when she died. I didn't have school but he sent me to preschool anyway. I think he just needed to be alone. Maybe he and Melanie grieved together."

"She never told me how she got over it," I added. "I always assumed she had you."

"No," he said. "I was too little. They both acted normal around me. I never even saw either of them cry. Not even at the funeral."

"How old was she?" I asked, doing the mental math.

"Twelve," he answers before I think more into the numbers. "It was only a few months before the invasion actually. The funeral was one of the last times I went out and it was just humans out there."

She was twelve when her mother died. So I was twenty-one. I still had my mother at the time. "I can barely remember the last time I went out before the aliens came."

"What happened to your family?" he asks. "Melanie never told me. Did you tell her?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I told her."

I thought back to the night, closer to five years ago now then four, when we sat on the couch in my father's cabin and talked about our families. Jamie was fast asleep in her lap and we stayed up all night, talking and getting to know each other.

_"Your mom had cancer?" she asked me when I got to my 20th birthday in the story._

_I nodded at her. "Yeah. She was diagnosed when I was in college. I dropped out and came back home to help her."_

_"But how old were you when _they_ came?"_

_"Twenty-one," I say. "Nearing twenty-two. We hid out here. But my mom - she got very sick, very fast. We didn't know what to do."_

_Melanie's face was sad. "So you what - watched your own mother die?"_

_"It was all we could do," I answer. "It was horrible."_

_"What'd your dad do?" she says. "And your brothers? They had to have done something."_

_"When she died," I took a deep breath. This was the first time I said any of this out loud. I lost the last of my family four years ago and the last person I talked to, the one that made me not speak to another human in two years, was a man I met while on the run. We never talked about the past, only what to do in the present. _

_"When she died," I tried again. "They got angry. We all did. When the parasites came, they fought them. I was the youngest. I stayed behind and I know now how stupid that was. I should have been there with them. They shouldn't have had to die. I could have protected them."_

_"Don't say that," she closed her eyes._

_"Why not?" I asked her and she opened her eyes. "Because maybe if I was there, if someone else was on their side, they'd be alive today."_

_"Or you could be dead," she added. "Then you wouldn't have saved me. Or Jamie. Maybe it's selfish for me to say that and I'm sorry. But if you weren't here, we'd still be on the run. We could get caught, I could get caught and he wouldn't even know what happened to me. We wouldn't have the cabin to stay in. There'd be nothing for us."_

_"Mel..." I said. I only caved the nickname a few times before but her eyes stared at me. I loved looking at her eyes. "You'd be fine. I've seen you in action. You'd kick their ass."_

_"You've seen me with you," she corrects. "That doesn't mean I'd be able to fight one of them."_

_I wanted to kiss her. I wanted to tell her she'd make it, her and Jamie both. Instead, I saw it from her point of view. "I'm sorry. I probably sound like a selfish bastard, don't I?"_

_"No, you don't," she smiled. "You miss your family. We both do."_

I finished telling Jamie about my family and how I told Melanie about them. "I never knew they fought against them."

"They thought of it as one of the world wars," I say. "That somehow fighting them will avenge my mother, how she had to suffer in an abandoned cabin rather than going to a hospital and getting her help. Help that she had been getting."

"I'm sorry, Jared," he said. "Is that why it's hard to talk about Melanie?"

"A little," I say. I don't mention how losing them, I knew it was going to happen. I knew I'd lose my mother, with or without the aliens and when they went off to fight, I knew I was going to lose them, too. Melanie was unexpected in every way possible.

"Did you love her?"

I turn back to him. "Yes. I loved her very much. I still do."

He nodded. "Did she love you too?"

"She did," I smiled. "She told me she loved me more than I did, probably."

"How come?" he asked.

"I don't know," I answer. "I never really thought about it."

"I never saw her happier than when we were with you," he tells me. "Not that time I remember before our mom died or after when she healed herself. Especially not when we were on the run."

"Thanks." The hole is opening and I don't care for once. I want to be able to talk to him about his sister. We need to be able to. "I don't think I was ever happier than when I was with her, either. I think that's why it affected me more when we lost her."

"Why did it?" he asked. "You lost your mother, your father, your two brothers. Why did losing Melanie change you so much?"

"Because I love her," I answered as if it was so simple. "I'm not saying I didn't love my family. I did. I really did. But it's different when you meet that person, the one you could see yourself growing old with. She was supposed to be my future. As long as I had her, I didn't care about what was going on in the rest of the world. Because she was with me."

I took another deep breath and continued. "When we found that note, her last note, I broke. I lost everything I thought I knew. I lost my future. I swear, buddy, if I didn't have you with me, I would have broke. You kept me going. You and my promise to Melanie to take care of you."

"I never knew that was she was to you," he says. "I always thought we were just other survivors you met. I never knew exactly what she meant to you. Or me even."

"You two meant the world to me," I tell him. "Don't ever doubt that. Just now, there's one more person added to that list."

We both looked down at little James, who managed to fall back asleep during our talk. He had his right thumb in his mouth and he was sucking in his sleep. It made me smile. Jamie smiled at him too.

"He looks a little like you, you know," he tells me.

"I thought he looked more like his mother," I say.

He laughs lightly. "Maybe. But I can see you in him, too."

"What am I gonna do when he gets older?" I ask Jamie. "How do I explain to him about this world and what happened to his mother?"

"I'll help you," he says.

"You will?"

Jamie nods. "Yeah. That's what family's for, isn't it?"

"Yeah, it is," I agree. "We'll each pitch in with stories of her."

"I'll tell him about the time I caught her stealing candy for me at the grocery store," he laughs. "He'd love that one."

"Yeah, he would," I laugh. "I'll tell him about when she tried to teach you baseball."

"That was funny," he laughed harder. "She couldn't hit the ball."

"I think she was just pretending," I say. "She made me come behind her and put my arms around her and teach her, remember? That always seemed suspicious to me."

"You mean that was before you two were together?" he asked.

"We were together," I answer. "But not for long at that point. Maybe a few weeks."

He beamed. "I can't believe she'd use my games to get you to hold her. Gross."

"Your sister had a lot of tactics to use on me," I laughed.

"Eew," he said and laughed a small one. "That's not something I wanted to know."

"I didn't mean that, sicko," I lightly punched him in the side. "I just mean, she tried anyway to get close to me. I used to think it was because we were the only adults left, the last man and woman as we called ourselves -"

"Hey!" he interrupted. "I'm human too."

"You were a boy," I explain. "When you got older, there was gonna be two of us."

"Okay."

I kept going. "Anyway, she first said to me how I hadn't kissed her and I assumed she thought as the last ones, that was why she wanted to be with me. Because I saved her and we were both still human. But I think, somewhere along the way, I stopped believing that. I don't know how, I don't know when. But I knew it was more than that."

"I don't think she'd go for you just because you were the last man," he said. "Even when she was in school before. All the other pre-teens were getting boyfriends and she never had one. I know she kissed one. I caught them when our dad picked her up from a school dance with her friends. I teased her about it."

"You saw her first kiss?" I smiled. "Man, that must have been awkward."

"For her!" he laughed again. It was nice to hear it again and especially so much tonight. "I had a lot of fun with it. Sometimes when we were on the run, I'd bring it up to see what she'd do."

"What did she do?"

"She laughed. Said too bad it was the only kiss she'd ever have. Then you came along."

My smile faded. The way she must have said that had to sound so sad. I can't imagine what it must have been like, her second and third kisses on the night we met. One basically being attacked by a strange man and the other lead to her screaming when she felt my scar.

"You guys were kissing all the time, even when you thought I didn't see," he joked. "Don't worry. I only saw kissing."

I tried to laugh again but I just felt terrible about the way I kissed her now. "That's good to know."

"Do you know when he" - Jamie nodded to James - "happened?" he asked me.

Before I could say the night before Chicago, Ian came into the room. I looked up at him in surprise. "What's wrong? Is it Wanda?"

"Not Wanda," he shook his head. "It's Doc. He wants to ask you if you've ever seen anything on a raid that might help Walter right now."

"Walter?" Then I remember. The cancer. Just like my mom. "I don't know."

"He wants you to come anyway," he tells me.

"All right," I say. Then I turn to Jamie. "You'll watch your nephew?"

"Of course," he gave me a look that said as if I wouldn't.

"Great," I tell him. "Thanks."

We walk down to Doc's and on the way there, we're both pretty silent. I rethink the conversation me and Jamie just had, trying to work it out in my head. I was able to talk about Melanie without breaking down at least.

That was definitely a good start.

When we reach Doc's, I'm surprised to see Wanda sitting in there. She looks tired and I remember my earlier thoughts to be fair to her and how Melanie is in there somewhere, alive. I was already thinking about her because of Jamie but seeing her right in front wanted the hole to open up more at the sight.

Wanda looks up when me and Ian walk in. She gives him a smile and then turns to me, unsure of what to do. I smile at her, making the first move towards something better. Then she smiles back and it feels like a weight is lifted off of my shoulders.

**Okay so I made this chapter focus on Jared/Jamie. I really wanted to give them something. We never really saw their connection that good and maybe making them talk about Melanie together and their families is going to help them heal, don't you think? **

**I hope you like it! Leave a review?**


	12. Confessions & apologies

Wanda's POV

"Gladdie," Walter moaned.

This was the fifth time he said her name in the past ten minutes. Doc explained to me about his ex-wife and how I didn't look like her. But in his pain, he imagined she was here. I didn't know what to do.

"Doc?"

He turned to me. He already knew what I was going to ask. "I don't know much else we can do."

"There has to be something," I whispered.

_Jared,_ Melanie's voice said.

_I know you want to see Jared,_ I told her. _But that's not what needs to be done right now._

_No, _she said. _Jared can go on a raid, try to find something to help him. Jeb and Jamie both say he's the best at it._

_Oh, _I thought. Then I turned to Doc again and said it out loud. "Maybe we could do a raid."

His face lit up. "That's a fantastic idea! They can look for morphine to help his pain."

Ian walked in a few minutes later and Doc told him to go find the usuals. When just a little bit after that, after listening to some more cries from Walter, in walks Jared. I still find myself surprised. I guess he found him first. I smile at Ian and then Jared looks at me, giving me his own smile. I smile back, wondering if this means he doesn't hate me so much anymore.

"How's Walter doing?" Jared asks.

"He's in a lot of pain," Doc answers. "But Wanda had an idea."

Everyone looks to me. I feel the heat rise on my cheeks at the attention. Melanie feels a thrill at Jared's eyes on us. Ian speaks first. "What is it, Wanda?"

"A raid," I say. I didn't like all the attention they were giving me. It was much easier to teach souls the histories of our planets than to explain to humans. I take a deep breath and continue, turning to address Jared. "You told me you needed to go on one. Why not do it sooner to help Walter?"

Ian nods. "That's not a bad idea."

"How soon will we have to go?" Jared asks.

Doc shakes his head. "You'd have to ask Jeb that. But with how much pain he's in, in my medical opinion, soon."

Jared nods. "I'm going to go ask him now then. See what we can do to help him."

"All right," Doc says. "Thanks, Jared."

He nods one more time and then he's gone. Ian watches me watch Jared and I look to the ground, hoping he doesn't see the feelings in them. But when I look back up at him, I can tell I was too late. He saw it.

Doc steps forward, closer to me and Walter. "Walter, we're going to try to get you help."

"Gladdie," he moans. He grabbed my hand and I turned to face him."It hurts."

Walter's eyes were closed and his hold was pretty tight. I move myself closer to him so I don't need to stretch too far. The chair doesn't need to move far since I was already sitting beside him.

"I'm so glad you're here," he tells me. "I thought I would never see you again."

"I'm glad, too," I tell him, as if I was really his wife. Something wet hits my hand and I look at it, noticing it's a teardrop. I didn't even know I was crying.

"it's been too long, Gladdie," he says. "You came back for me."

"Yeah, I did," I reply. I try to give him a smile and a reassuring squeeze of his hand but his eyes are still closed as he speaks.

A short while later, the three of us can tell he's asleep. Jared came back. He noticed my hand in Walter's and his face was wondering. Doc and him talked for a moment and then Doc excused himself. He probably was going to go talk to Jeb. I hoped, at least. I couldn't imagine if he needed him to go check on James or Jamie.

_He'd be much more panicked if something happened to either one of them,_ Melanie told me.

She was right. I sighed, letting myself sigh a breath of relief. Ian watched me and I smiled at him. He didn't smile back and just sat back and watched me.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" I asked him.

"Because you're amazing," he said.

The blush definitely came this time. "Stop that."

"No, really," he said. "You are. I don't know any human like you. I can't believe any of us ever thought or still think you'd be here for them to find us. I see your heart, Wanda. Not everyone else does but I see it. And right now, it's shining so bright and making my own beat a little faster."

_Did he seriously just say that?_

_He's being romantic._

_Maybe, but this body is not for him._

"Ian," I turn to him, still holding Walter's hand. "You promised we would be friends."

"Friends can tell each other how amazing they are," he smiles.

"Ian," I give him a serious look. "It wouldn't work."

His smile fades. "Because of Jared?"

"No," I tell him. "Because you're human. And I'm not. You should be with your own kind."

"I don't want my own kind," he explains. "I want you."

I put my head down then back up and meet his eyes. "You shouldn't say things like that."

"Why not?"

"Because it can't happen."

"What can't happen?"

The two of us turn to look at the doorway. Jared's standing right under the arch with his arms folded across his chest. He didn't look angry but he didn't look too pleased.

"Walter," Ian said then turned his voice into a whisper. "Him being in more pain or worse, dying."

"I agree," Jared says. "But I don't think that's what Wanda meant."

His eyes turn on me and both me and Melanie melt. I need to do something about that. I try to lie. "Yes, it is."

Ian nods. "See?"

Jared shook his head. "Nevermind. Jeb wants us to leave for the raid tonight."

_Tonight?_ Melanie exclaimed.

"Tonight?" I asked out loud for both of us.

Jared nodded. "Says it might be better for Walter if we get an early start. So if we find something, we're not...too late."

"Sounds reasonable," Ian agrees. "Is my brother coming?"

Ian's tone sounds irritated when he mentions Kyle. I can tell the different tones among the humans now. It's something I never experienced out there with the other souls but here, it felt...well, it felt normal.

"He is," Jared answers. "I already got him ready. But I had to come here before I get ready."

"Why here -" Ian stopped then nodded. "Of course. You came to tell Wanda, didn't you?"

"Me?" I ask.

"You promised you'd take care of James, right?" Jared asks me. I say yes and he continues. "Well, I need you to starting tonight. Can you?"

"Of course," I say. Like I would say no.

"Thank you," Jared smiles.

Melanie fixates on it. _I never thought I'd see that smile ever again! _

_He's smiled before, _I point out, a little surprised. He didn't even like me a few days ago.

_Not like that, _she says_. That's a smile I remember._

"You're welcome," I tell him. He turns to leave the room but I call him back. "Jared?"

"Yeah?"

"Can I..." I stop myself and rethink my sentence. I change it from being to Jared to Ian. "Ian? Can we have a second alone?"

"Okay, sure," he says with a smile. He walks out semi-backwards. Not entirely looking forward but not walking backwards either.

Once he's gone, Jared walks more into the room. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong," I explain. "But we never talked after...what happened."

He nods and bits his bottom lip. "When I kissed you."

"Yeah," I say. It's all I can say.

"I'm sorry about that," he says. "I shouldn't have done that."

"That wasn't what I was going to say," I reply.

"No?" he says and I shake my head. "What was it then?"

"Before you kissed me..." I start, pause then start again. It was so much harder to speak to him. "I should have told you about Melanie. Sooner. Before I told Jamie."

He stays still then speaks. "Maybe. I actually think you did it right."

That stunned me. "You do?"

"Yeah," he replies. "Because I don't think I would have believed you anyway. Until the hit, I didn't, to be honest. And because telling Jamie...I think he needed to know. More than I needed to even, it being his sister. You did the right thing, Wanda."

I smiled at him. "Thank you, Jared."

"You're welcome." He smiled back. He begins to leave but turns back in the doorway. "You tell Ian that I'll be watching him. Even when I'm not here."

"Okay." I want to laugh because I don't understand. He gives me another smile then walks out of Doc's.

_He doesn't want Ian around us._

_Why not?_

She rolls her eyes. _You were here earlier, weren't you? He was hitting on you!_

_He was?_

_Okay, maybe not exactly hitting on you. But he was flirting, complimenting you. Ian definitely likes you too much._

_No. He just needs to spend more time with other people, _I explain.

_I don't think that's it, Wanderer. There's feelings._

I don't answer her back. Instead I think about it. Yes, I knew about feelings. But had I ever any of those kind? I answered myself fast. Of course. Jared. I was in love with him. I knew that much. But that was because of Melanie. Ian...if I had feelings for him, they would be my own. Not because of someone else's mind.

I needed a few moments to think about that.

_"Have you made a decision yet?"_

_I turned behind me to look at my Seeker. The tiny baby in my arms fussed whenever she was around. "No. I have not yet, Seeker."_

_"He's only going to get older," she tells me. "You have to make a decision this week, Wanderer."_

_"I know," I answer. "But I don't know what to do."_

_"Have one of us inserted," she urges. "It would be much better for him and the soul who is going to inhabit his body to start early."_

_I looked between my host body's son and back to the Seeker. "Can I keep him human for just a little bit longer?"_

_"No," she shook her head, annoyed. "Wanderer, the boy is already over five weeks old. It's prefered we do it now rather than wait."_

_"All right," I nod. "I'll come in tomorrow."_

_Seeker smiles at me. "Thank you, Wanderer. You're saving all our lives, really."_

_I give her a smile back and she leaves. As soon as she's gone, my smile fades and I stare down at Baby James. _

_"What are we going to do, baby?" I ask him as if he can answer. I sigh._

_A voice in the back of my mind answers me. _We could leave tonight.

Excuse me? _I ask it. _Melanie? Is that you?

Who else would it be?

_She hardly ever talked to me now that her walls fell down. Before then, she simply kept them up and wouldn't let me know anything. The Seekers were sure to know she wasn't alone and the added bonus of carrying a child made them even more determined to find something out. _

_But, now, for her to be talking to me again. It meant something and a part of me was already beginning to agree with her._

We can't leave, _I tell her._

Why not? _she asks. _They're trying to put one of you in my son! I'm not going to let that happen.

I'm the one in charge, _I say. _Not you.

Wanderer, _she pleads. _Please don't let them do that to my son. Please. I'll make it my last request. I'll never bother you to do anything again.

And how would I leave? _I question her. _She's bound to be guarding my door. She wants James get inserted with a soul so badly already. I'm surprised she even left the room.

I don't know, _she scrambles to get an idea. _I just know we could leave.

How? _I ask again. _

_Melanie thinks for a moment then tells me to turn around. We're facing a sliding door that leads to a balcony. _There.

That?! _I exclaim to her. _How do I get down that?

You jump.

_I let her guide me out to the balcony overlooking the pool down below. We looked down below and ran back inside the apartment. We started getting the stuff together to be needed and coming up with a plan to get out of here. I tried peaking outside to get James out and sure enough, there was a guard there. _

_Melanie told me not to worry. She'll take care of that. For once, I allowed violence. As long as our son was safe. _

"Wanda?"

It wasn't Ian as I expected. Jamie stood in the doorway of Doc's and he was pushing a stroller with him. James! Finally. I was really missing him while I was in here. Walter was asleep for now but I still held his hand. Ian was gone. I wasn't sure how long I'd been asleep, dreaming of those earlier memories.

"Hi," I said to him. I wiped my eyes with my empty hand, fully waking up. "What are you doing in here?"

"Jared's gone," he said. My heart dropped. I knew he would but still. Melanie felt the same as me. "We thought you might want some company. Ian told me you'd be in here."

"I'm glad he did," I said and smiled at him. I was really happy to see him.

He walked in, pushing the stroller in with him. Jamie came to sit by me and I looked down at James. He was awake and smiling at me. I guess he knew what his mother looked like, even if the eyes were different.

"How is he?"

"He's not doing so good," I said as Jamie looked at Walter. "They went on the raid to find him morphine. But I don't know. It might not help."

He nodded. "I've seen actually seen someone die before."

"And you're not going to," I tell him.

"But you just said -"

"I know," I say. "But if he does die, I want you away from here. You shouldn't have to go through that."

"But I have," he whispers. "My mom's accident. Then I thought Melanie died. I've been through death before. I just didn't know that one of them was alive."

"This is different," I swallow the lump in my throat. "Much different."

Melanie remembers all the death she had been around growing up in Los Angeles. She'd been to their grandparents' funeral when she was only three. The two of them on her dad's side was all she had and then her grandmother got sick. Less than a year later, her grandfather followed behind.

Jamie didn't go through that heartbreaking year of thinking your grandfather would rather die then be with the remaining family members who loved him.

But instead, I humored. Melanie told me stories to tell him and Jamie brought some of the books people would read to Freedom and other children in the caves. Together we read them to both James and Walter, one awake and smiling until he fell asleep, the other already edging towards the longer sleep.


	13. The raid

Jared's POV

We've been on this new raid for a week now. I was missing James and Jamie like crazy. I kept thinking of them every second we were away. I hated going on raids now. It took me away from the two people I most wanted to be with and all I could think of was that tiny baby in Doc's office.

We had not much luck with getting morphine. There was only a little at one of the homes we checked. Kyle guessed it was leftover from the humans who lived there. What would an alien need with human medicine? They had their own now.

That gave me an idea. We could try to retrieve the parasites' medicine. But how? We didn't know where it was kept or how to even look for it. There had to be people in those places 24/7 just in case someone was hurt. They patched you up right away, those aliens. We needed a plan.

"Hey, Kyle."

He turned as soon as I called him. He was in the driver's seat and me in the passenger seat. We both had our sunglasses on so I couldn't tell what kind of expression he was making. "Yeah?"

"What do you think about sneaking in one of their medical facilities?"I asked him.

"You serious?" he gives me a look. I'm not really sure what kind of look it is. "You think we can?"

"I'm not sure," I admit. "But maybe if we can make it inside, we can try to get something to help Walter."

"It's a nice idea," he shrugged and put his eyes back on the road. "But we're not even sure what we'd be looking for. As far as I know, they have their own medicine, ones we wouldn't know much about."

"We don't have enough morphine," I say to him. "That little bit won't help him much."

"Okay," he nods. "What do we do?"

And together, we start planning. Brandt joins in and after Aaron wakes up, so does he. Suddenly I'm glad for having the usual team on the raids. When Jeb told me to take more than just me and Kyle, I had my doubts. But during the planning, it's proven Jeb was right to ask me to bring them. Maybe he had a feeling.

We decide to go in at night. There was bound to be less accidents and maybe we can sneak out to our car easier if we got caught. But we were all seriously hoping we didn't get caught. The whole thing kind of reminded me of my first raid after Melanie was taken.

I had been so used to leaving Jamie with her that I almost forgot to plan for him too. At first, I wanted to leave him by himself. I knew Jamie well at that point. But he didn't want to be alone, not after losing his sister.

_"Jared!" he stomped. "I'm not a little kid anymore."_

_"I know," I said to him. My voice wasn't mad even though his was. "I know that more than anyone."_

_Anyone who's still human, I add in my head. Jamie continues. "You can't leave me by myself. You should know what could happen if we get separated."_

_"Yeah, I do know," I reply. "I also know what could happen to you if you come with me and I get caught."_

_"So it's better for me to have no one looking after me?" he counters. "For me to have to do a raid on my own because all of my guardians got taken by _them_?"_

_"No," I whisper then speak up. "No. You're right. I just...I don't want to bring you somewhere dangerous. You'd done it before when -"_

_I stop myself. I'm about to say her name and I realize how much it hurts to get to the place in a sentence where her name would go. We're both quiet for a few seconds. It's obvious Jamie knows what I was about to say and neither of us need to say it._

_"I know I was alone for house raids before," Jamie says, breaking the silence. "But that was then."_

_"You were younger then," I point out, regaining my train of thought. "If you were okay by yourself then, you would be now."_

_He's shaking his head before my sentence even finished. "I'm older now. Since I'm older, I should be able to help. Not sit back while you or...while Melanie goes out there and gets herself caught! I want to be an assest, not a burden."_

_"You're not a burden," I tell him. "You are an assest. Believe me. And if I didn't have you to take care of right now, I'd probably consider letting those leeches take me."_

_"Don't say that," he says. "I lost my mom, my dad, my sister...you're all I have left."_

_"I'm sorry, buddy," I hugged him close to me. I could hear his sobs as he leaned on me and I just let him. Tomorrow, I would plan the raid for us together. No more only me like it was when she was with us and Jamie stayed with her._

We had the plan all set and ready. Our only next step was trying to find one of their hospitals. Kyle remembered passing some on the way to the woods we were currently parked in. He drove off here when we weren't sure which way to go for the next step but now I was thinking we did the right thing.

He pulled out of there and drove the way we came. We hoped to reach it by a couple of hours. It was almost dark out and night was the time we were most likely to drive. There was few cars on the road tonight and I sighed in relief. Brandt and Aaron kept an extra set of watchful eyes for us out the tiny back windows on the door. Kyle and I made sure to pay attention to everywhere.

It took a while to find one. The one we thought we passed turned out to be a school. I wanted to punch Kyle for not seeing the signs right. Instead of going back the way we came this time, he turned a different street. It didn't take long for us to figure out we were lost.

"What'd you do, Kyle?" Brandt exclaimed. "Did you get us lost out there?"

"No," he defended. "I don't know."

"Shit," I muttered. "What do we do?"

"I'm thinking," Kyle answered.

"Shit," Aaron repeated after me.

Kyle looked around both ways and made a u turn around the way we were. Luckily, the road was still pretty empty. After a few minutes, there was headlights behind us. The car looked normal so we didn't think it was a Seeker. But when a second car showed up, we knew we were wrong.

"What do we do?" Aaron asked me and Kyle.

"We could try to lose them," Kyle suggested.

"No," I shook my head. "That won't work. Do you know how many Seekers are probably out there? They could have them all on us in seconds."

"Then what do you suggest?" he asked me.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "This never happened before."

Kyle keeps driving. "I'm gonna keep going. Try to lose them anyway."

"No!" I yell at him. "We can't do that! Are you even listening?"

"Well I didn't hear any other ideas," he says and presses his foot down on the pedal.

The Seeker behind us doesn't seem to mind having to speed up. It comes right behind us and follows us for a few minutes before we see another set of headlights coming beside it. "Fuck," Kyle mutters.

I remember when I told Jamie I would let the aliens take me rather than leave me without Melanie. I told him if I didn't have him, I'd consider getting caught. But I do have him. And I have James and all these other people who care about me, or at least rely on me. I even have Melanie in a way. I can't be caught; I didn't want to be. Not anymore.

"Maybe we can make them distract each other," I tell Kyle. He gives me a WTF look. "Maybe since they're both Seekers, if we tried to get out, they could not notice if we leave."

"Are you serious?" Kyle says then turns to Aaron and Brandt. "Is he serious?"

"I think so," Aaron says.

Brandt turns to me. "How could you be sure that'd work?"

"I'm not," I admit. "But we have to try something."

"Fuck," Kyle repeated.

"Please step out of your vehicle," a woman's voice boomed over a megaphone.

The four of us look at each other. Me and Kyle both nod to Aaron and Brandt. They hide themselves in the back as Kyle and I step out the front of the truck. First, I see a man standing there, all dressed in white. He looked very still and almost afraid. I wanted to scoff. Like he should be afraid of us.

Next, I noticed a woman. She was holding a megaphone so I guessed she was the one who spoke. There were no other Seekers in sight. It must be just the two of them or they were hiding in case we went wild. The woman was all dressed in black and staring at me with this look. It was almost as if she knew me.

I shook my head. It wouldn't make sense for her to have known me.

She holds up the megaphone to her mouth again. "Stay where you are. We have backup coming."

The man in white watches her. I can tell from the look on his face that _he's_ the backup. I turn back to the Seeker in black. Me and Kyle stay silent but we give each other a look. I know Kyle pretty well after all these months together in the caves and all the raids we'd been on together. We decide on the count of three what to do.

_One, two, three..._

He comes after the man in white. Knocking him to the ground, I run to the woman in black. Her eyes widen and she pulls out a gun. I stop short but Kyle is still hitting the man. Putting my hands up in a surrender, I freeze in place. There's a smirk that doesn't fit the alien's expressions, like she knows she can kill me right there and I can't come after her. Or worse, she can shoot me down and then have one of them inserted into me.

Before she can, I see her get pulled down. Then Kyle rises up and smirks at me. That look is much more natural on his face. But the Seeker woman isn't down for long. She comes back up and before she can do anything back to us, we're running back to the car. I hear the gunshots behind me but we climb inside anyway.

I'm in the driver's seat this time and before I back out of the small road, I see the other Seeker, the man, is down on the ground. She must have shot him when he was getting up or he was in her way maybe. He's face down. He's also probably dead. I didn't have time to worry about one of them and got our truck out of there before she got into her own car and followed us.

I speed as fast as I can out of there. There's no sign of headlights anywhere behind us and I want to pray. Just as I think that, I see headlights again. I brace myself to be caught again for the second time in the past ten minutes or so but they don't follow me. Instead, they turn back the way we came and immediately I assume the other Seeker is dead.

Kyle breathes in relief once the car is out of sight. "Fuck."

"I was thinking the same thing," I tell him. "That was close."

"What happened out there?" Aaron is now sitting behind us again instead of hiding. I honestly didn't know when he came out of hiding.

"We tagged teamed them," I answer. "Kyle jumped one and I went to the other, but it had a gun."

"Did either of you get shot?" Brandt asks.

"Do we look like we did?" Kyle says. "Jeez."

"Kyle," I say. "Don't be a dick right now. Let's just get home."

"All right," he says and slumps into his seat.

The rest of the ride is quiet. Once we get closer, we pull into another woods and check what we have. All we really have is that small amount of morphine we got at one of the houses we checked. I didn't even get to get James more food on this raid. We didn't get anything else. We were so busy looking for something for Walter that we didn't go to the store. And now, we had to make a choice - go back home or stay here, search for more stuff.

The answer seemed pretty easy. But it wasn't an easy debate. Kyle voted we go home, but me, Aaron and Brandt thought it might be better if we stayed out here, gathered at least some supplies since we got so little. We had been gone a week and almost nothing to show for it.

We all knew it would be smarter to get back to Walter. That was a big part of the debate. But if we could find something, anything more to help...we had to take the chance on it.

This time, we were more careful. None of us wanted to run the risk of running into Seekers again. We went past home and drove to a town in a different direction. It was a way we only went a few times before but Kyle and I knew our way back enough to get home. Or at least so, we hoped we did.

_"What are you looking at?" Jamie asked me. _

_We were sitting in the woods not too far from Chicago, the place where we found Melanie's last letter barely two towns away. It's been one month since we lost her. Three days since Jamie got angry at me about the future raids. I tried to find a more definite plan for us, something safe._

_I hold the book up to him. "This album your sister gave me."_

_He walks closer at the acnowledgement of her. "That's my dad's."_

_"Yeah," I agree. "She showed it to me early on. Not too long after we met."_

_"You were looking at the cover," he states. "How come?"_

_I hand it over to him. "You see these lines?"_

_Jamie nods. "My Uncle Jeb dug them into the cover. Why?"_

_"Your sister told me they might mean something," I answer. "She thought maybe they were a map to somewhere."_

_"Like where?" he asked, staring at the back cover of the album._

_I shake my head. "I don't know."_

_"My dad used to call Uncle Jeb crazy," he smiled. "But he knew something might be coming. Maybe this is a sign."_

_"That's what Mel thought," I say sadly. I hadn't used her name much since she got taken. Every time I did, it ripped a hole inside my heart. "That he might have some secret place and this is his way of showing you where."_

_He handed me back the album. "Can you figure it out?"_

_"I'm not sure," I tell him. The lines don't look like a map, not exactly at least. "I can't really tell what it is."_

_Jamie sighs and sits beside me in the grass. "Maybe I can help. I know some stuff of my family's. It could be something."_

_"Try your best." I hand him back the album and he surprises me. Instead of staring at the lines, he opens it up and flips through the pictures. I notice one on the early pages and tell him to stop flipping. "What is it?"_

_I take the album out of his hands and go back to the picture. "What's this picture?"_

_"Mu Uncle's ranch," he shrugged. "It's out in the desert. It's where he lived...before."_

_"Before the invasion?" I ask. Jamie nods. "Would he find someplace there, you think?"_

_"Maybe," he says as he looks at the picture. "I haven't seen him in a very long time. If he's still out there, then I don't think he'd out in the open."_

_"Have you been there?" I ask. "To the ranch?"_

_"Only once," he replies. "Melanie went there with Mom and Dad more before I was born, though. She'd more likely know."_

_My heart drops. Of course she would. Another reason we needed her here with us. Why I needed her here with me. "But could you figure it out?"_

_"I'm not sure," he shakes his head. "I don't want to get it wrong."_

_I nod, understanding. "How about this? Do you know where the ranch was?" Jamie nods. "Then I'll drive down there. See what we can find."_

_"Really?" he asks. Jamie's face seems to brighten at the idea of going down there and maybe seeing someone in his family. Neither of us mention what if he's gone. Instead we get in the car and he tells me the way there. _

**Okay so I made the scene where they got caught into a little shout out to the movie! Haha. **

**Hope you still like the story! : )**


	14. Part of the old life returns

**Wanda's POV**

There was a knocking at my door and I turned to see who it was. Ian stood there with a smile on his face. I turned to him and made a 'ssh' with my finger to my mouth then turned back to where I was looking. I heard Ian's footsteps come closer and he walked into the room to see baby James asleep in his small crib. The night Jared and the others left on the raid, Doc told me and Jamie we would be able to move him into the room with us.

Jamie was very excited about that idea. He helped move it right away.

Now, Melanie and Jared's son lay fast asleep and I couldn't help the way my heart felt when I looked at the tiny little boy.

Melanie was musing over him with me that I didn't realize Ian came to sit beside me until he was already seated. "How long's be been asleep?"

"About a half an hour," I answer. "I couldn't bear to leave or to wake him up to go anywhere."

"I'm here now," he says. "Do you want me watch him?"

"No," I shook my head and I look to him. "I actually wanted to come see you."

"Me?" he instantly brightened. "What did you need?"

"Nothing," I say. "I just wanted to see you."

"You wanted to see me?" You can hear the smile in his voice without even seeing it. But I do. I do see it and Ian's smile makes me want to smile.

"Yes."

_No, no, no!_ Melanie chants.

_What?_

_Don't you see where this is heading?_

_Maybe. But it's not going to._

_Wanda, _she mentally shakes her head at me and rolls her eyes. _You're flirting back with him, giving him hope. If you really think nothing will happen from that, you're lying to yourself._

I know I am. I don't even need to tell Melanie I know. But she's right about the rest, too. Ian leans toward me, his hand underneath my chin, pulling it up to him. I forget about Melanie's objections, about how he should be with a human while I stare into his blue eyes.

But then I remember James, who's sound asleep right next to where we're seated. "Wait."

"What is it?" he asks.

"I told you we can't do this," I say. I hope my stalling works. Though I don't know exactly what I'm stalling for.

"So you've said," Ian nods but he doesn't back away. "But I also said I don't want someone else, Wanda. I want you."

I close my eyes then open them again. "Jared said he'd be watching you."

That makes Ian laugh. "So Jared says."

"Ian," I say. "This isn't just me in here. It'd be like...you'd be kissing Melanie, too."

He gives me a face, cocking his head to the side. "And what does Melanie say?"

"She doesn't want me to kiss you," I answer. "She doesn't want _you_ to kiss _me_."

"Of course," he sighs but stays in place still. "But what about what you want, Wanda?"

"Me?" I almost squeak. "What do I want?" Ian nods. "I don't know what I want, honestly. I know I want Jamie and James safe. I want Jared and you safe, too."

He's shaking his head before I even finish. "That's not what I meant."

Now I'm the one tilting my head to him. "Then what do you mean?"

"Do you want me to kiss you, Wanda?" he asks. "You. Not Melanie. Not listening to Jared's threats. Do you want me to?"

"I don't know."

But I do know. And for a second, my eyes must show I do. Ian leans in again, grabbing my face from both sides and kisses me. He kisses me deep and I kiss him back. I'm not sure of what I feel. It's different than the kisses in Melanie's memory or the one between me and Jared just days before he left.

But it's a good different.

_Ugh! Stop this right now!_

Apparently not to everyone, though.

I pulled my lips apart from Ian's. He had this look in his eyes and I was sure my own mirrored it. He smiled at me. "Good or bad?"

_Bad! Definitely bad!_

I ignored her protests. "I'm not sure."

He nods. "Never done that before?"

Oh, no, I did. Just over a week ago. But I didn't want to tell Ian that. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?"

"I'm not good at...these kinds of thing," I admit. My cheeks warm at the confession.

"What, kissing?" he teases.

"Not just kissing," I answer. "Relationships. Friendships. I didn't have many real friends back in San Diego."

"San Diego?" he asks, unknowingly changing the subject.

"Where I was...before here," I tell him.

"What were doing down here then?" he asks. He does not mean it to question me or my motives. He's genuinely curious as to what I was doing here. "In the desert of all places. You looked close to death when Jeb found you."

"I think I was," I laugh after I speak. Ian doesn't laugh with me. "I was running away to my old Healer. He got moved from Chicago and the Seeker was pressuring me about James. So I left my home and packed his stuff."

"She wanted to put a soul in him," he states. I nod. "Well, damn. I don't blame you for leaving then."

"You might not," I say. "But the souls might. I'm a traitor."

"No, you're not," he says and puts his hand under my cheek again. "You just have a big heart. They can't blame you for that. Isn't that why they wanted to take over our planet? Because us humans didn't love enough?"

He meant it as a joke but I don't laugh. He smiles at his own words. I don't correct him. He's right. We did take over their planet. We did it because there was so much violence and hate and not enough appreciation of what they have here. But there's good here, good humans. I wish I had known that before.

"Hey, what's wrong?" he asks when I don't speak.

"Nothing," I shake my head. "I'm perfect."

"You are," he says as he stares into my eyes.

My eyes feel like tearing up. He's always saying sweet things to me. "Ian."

"You are," Ian repeats then he kisses me again. This kiss is even more different than the last one. I kiss him back again and puts my hands on the sides of his face this time. When we break apart, he's smiling. "How was that?"

"Getting better," I smile back.

Ian stands up and holds out his hand for me. "Come on."

"Where are we going?" I stay seated.

"Jeb wants to see you," he tells me. "It's the actual reason I came here."

"I thought you came so you can kiss me," I tease him.

"Well, that, too," he smiles bigger. I laugh at him he just watches me. "But, come on."

"What about James?" I say.

"Taken care of," he says and walks to the door. He makes a motion to someone outside the door and after a few seconds, in walks his back-up.

Jamie!

Melanie echoes me then adds. _At least something came out of this moment._

I roll my eyes at her, something I've gotten used to because of sharing a mind with her. "You're gonna watch him for me, Jamie?"

He smiles brightly. "Ian asked me to be on Uncle Duty as soon as he got out of Jeb's office."

I give Ian a look. "Thank you."

"Anytime," he smiles.

Jamie watches us with a look. It makes me wonder what he's thinking.

_He probably doesn't approve, _Melanie tells me. _He's only used to seeing me with Jared. _

_But I'm not you_, I reply.

She ignores that and continues as if I hadn't commented. _Seeing you with Ian will be weird for him. _

_It's not like we're getting married, _I say to her.

_Still._

"Is he in his crib still?" Jamie asks me, breaking the silence.

"Yeah, right by your bed," I say to him.

Jamie peers into the crib and smiles. I hear a giggling sound, meaning James is awake. Now I don't want to leave as much as I did seconds ago. James waking up to his uncle makes me want to stay. But Ian holds out his hand for me still.

"You ready to go?"

I look between the two boys and then back to Ian. They'll be here when I get back. "Yeah. Let's go."

Before we leave, Jamie hugs me goodbye. It feels bittersweet to have him care about me as if I'm his sister. I guess in a way, I am but it makes me want to tear up all over again. Ian leads me down to Jeb's office before I actually can.

The door is shut when we get there. Ian smiles and knocks on the door for me. Within seconds, Jeb is standing there in front of me. It feels like forever since I'd seen the old man. He beams at me happily. It reminds me when I first saw him in the desert, when my words registered him as Santa Claus. Being jolly suited the man in the front of me at the moment.

"Well, well," he says in his usual gruff voice. "It's about time you brought her here."

"You didn't send me out that long ago, Jeb," Ian replied.

"Maybe, maybe not," he says. "Well, Wanda, come on in."

I look to Ian, wondering if he's supposed to come too. He nods me forward and I walk into what's Jeb's office.

It's the first time I've been in here and it's actually bigger than I expected. He has a desk and three chairs, one behind the desk for him. There's also a shelf of books, paperbacks and hard cover. There's one that don't look like reading books, too.

"I guess you've never been in here yet," he notices as he sits down.

"No," I answer and sit down myself in front of the desk. "Not yet."

He chuckles. "What do you think?"

"It's very homey," I look around some more.

"Homey," he repeats. "I like that word. Kinda makes me feel like I made a comfortable place here for everyone."

"You did," I tell him. "I'm sure they're grateful for all that you've done for them."

"I hope so," he nods. "Wanda, I asked you here for an important reason."

Oh, no. Did the Seeker do something new? Did he decide it'd be better for everyone if he got rid of me here and is kicking me out? I swallowed hard. "Okay."

"Jamie has been skipping his usual classes to spend time with you," he says. Huh? I didn't expect that at all. "You told him once you were a teacher, yes?"

"Yes," I say. "What could I do though?"

"I want you to be a teacher, here, too, Wanda," Jeb tells me.

"What?" I ask. "I don't think the people here want me teaching them anything."

"Some people have warmed up to you," he points out.

I remember Lily and Wes and some of the other people who now smile at me as I pass them instead of glare. "Yes, they have. But, Jeb...I don't know any of what you'd teach here. I taught the history of the planets, shared my experiences or others'."

"Then that's what you'll teach them," Jeb smiled.

I stare at him for a moment, waiting for him to tell me he's kidding.

_I don't think he is,_ Melanie points out.

_He has to be,_ I reply. _Thinking other want to hear about my kind? He's even crazier than I thought if he thinks they want to know about that._

Jeb's still watching me, waiting for a response. "Well?"

"I don't know what to say," I tell him. "I don't think anyone wants to hear about the souls who took over their planet."

"Maybe not," he nods. "But I bet they'd like to hear about the other planets out there."

"Maybe," I agreed. "But how can you be so sure?"

"Because people are curious, Wanda," he leans forward on his desk. "They are sometimes afraid to find things out but they are. They'd come to find out more about what's out there and then, about your experiences."

I find myself nodding. "Okay."

He begins to show me a schedule for the classes and I find myself excited to even be offered this chance. I loved teaching and thought I lost it when I left San Diego. But Jeb was giving me another shot and I liked the way it thrilled me to get it back.

After what seemed like a while in there, I walked out of the office with a big smile on my face. Ian stood up from his seat on the floor when he saw me. "I take it that was good news?"

"Very good," I nod. "Jeb's gonna let me teach."

"Cool," he smiled back. "What are you gonna teach? Math, history, English? Something else?"

I shake my head. "I'm gonna teach them exactly what I taught outside of here. Jeb thinks maybe people will want to hear about the other planets I'd been to. I don't know if that's true but...maybe they will."

"That sounds like a great idea," he tells me and puts his arm around me. "You wanna go play a game of soccor with me? Wes came by and told me they were in the game room."

"They?" I ask.

He nods. "A bunch of us. Wanda, don't worry about it. They'll love you."

I stand there frozen. "You sure?"

"Yes," he says. "If not, they can play some other time."

I smile at his joke. "Okay."

"Okay, then," he agrees.

I shouldn't have slipped like that,_ a voice in the back of my head muttered. _

_It'd been three days since I felt the baby kick. All these months, I couldn't get a name out of this body. Seeker had been pressuring me ever since I woke up for information. When my doctor confirmed this body was carrying a child, she had only gotten worse. _

_For three days now, Seeker brought me coffee in the morning and asked how my progress was going. And every morning, I told her I had nothing new. I told her what the body told me - it was a slip because of feeling her unborn child and I didn't think I was going to get much else._

_So far I had three things - when the baby was conceived which was five nights before she was caught. I had two names though. Her own, Melanie Stryder, and the father's - Jared Howe._

I shouldn't have told you that,_ she said to me but was scolding herself_. I knew you'd tell them.

I had to,_ I explain to her. _I have to do my duty.

Hmph! _she exclaimed. _You're gonna get him killed!

No._ I disagree. _If anything, I'm gonna save him.

How? _Melanie asks. _How would getting him caught by parasites save him?

Because it's the right thing to do.

_Melanie doesn't say anything. I can feel her anger though at the thought of putting a soul inside Jared's body was a good her, it wasn't. To my kind, it was._

I won't let you find him, _she warned._

What if you slip again? _I ask her._

I won't,_ she answers. _I'll make sure of that.

_I could tell she was hiding more from me but I didn't know what. Did she know where her human was? Did she know if there were more? I could tell she wouldn't budge on it. _

_But a week later, the dreams started. At first, she dreamed of small moments of her and Jared. Watching him cook her breakfast, cooking him breakfast. Walking out of the bedroom in a house I didn't recognize and kissing his cheek to wake him up._

_Every night, I would watch a replay of moments. It wasn't even discussions exactly. Sometimes there were and other times, there was flashes of moments. Some fleeting but so happy that she locked them up for all these months. I could tell now why Melanie did not want me find the father - she was in love with him. The kind of love people want to fight for and seeing it in her head made me want it for myself._

_I sighed. I didn't know if she did this on purpose to make me feel guilty about wanting the souls find him or if she was just slipping more now that she gave me his name. Whichever it was, I could feel how much she missed him. One night, she imagined if she got home to him from Chicago and told him about his baby. I tried not to cringe at how her heart was breaking when she dreamed of that one._

_But still, every time we watched a memory, I could tell something was edited. There was something she didn't want me to see, something she didn't want me know. I wondered every night for a month after her first slip._

_There was a hint of another human one night in her memories. I guessed she didn't edit as well as she usually did. But it wasn't until it was closer to the baby's birth that it came through and I knew what she was hiding from me all this time._

_Melanie had a little brother named Jamie. _

_I reported it right to the Seeker and the next morning, she bugged me and then I went into labor._


	15. Coming home

**Jared's POV**

_We barely got out of town before Jamie yelled for me to stop driving. I turned to him and almost too loudly said, "What is it?"_

_"I had an idea," Jamie answers in a much-lower voice. _

_"Well, what's your idea?" I ask as I try to drive along the road. It's night and there's no cars out. I guessed the parasites had a curfew a long time ago. Only a Seeker would be out right now and the thought made me want to shudder._

_"What if _we_ looked for Sharon?" he asked._

_It took everything in me to not stop the car in the middle of the road. "Are you joking?" Jamie gave me an innocent looking face and shrugged. Guess not. "Jamie, searching for Sharon is how -" _

_I cut myself off. I can't say that. I can barely even think it. "No, Jamie."_

_"Jared, come on!" he said. "They're my family and if they are out there, I owe it to them and to Mel to get them to safety."_

_I saw the look in his eyes and knew he was right. I sighed. "A lot of responsibilty for a kid."_

_"I'm a teenager now," he said full of pride._

_I smiled at him. "Right. Sorry, bud."_

_Jamie looked over me, his eyes pleading. "Please, Jared. We need to do it. For them and for Mel. She would be here with us right now if it wasn't for looking for them. That's how much finding our cousin meant to her. Please."_

_He got me right where he needed me. But I have one problem with it. "But what if we're caught, too, Jame? Or me? Who would look after you?"_

_"We won't," he said._

_Now I wanted to laugh at his confidence. "How do you know that? She didn't."_

_There's a lump in my throat from my last sentence and it hangs in the air between us. We're both quiet then Jamie speaks up again. "But you're careful."_

_His voice is a whisper, barely loud enough for me to hear. I can tell he's trying to convince himself, not only because of what I said about me being caught but because his sister didn't know she could either. Otherwise she never would have went and left us. _

_"You went on all those raids alone," Jamie speaks again but this time he's louder, his voice more sure. "Me and Mel waited behind while you got food for us. You were never caught once."_

_"I hid a lot," I tell him jokingly. "Jamie, I don't know what to do."_

_"Just look for them," he tells me._

_"I'm not sure we should," I say. _

_"Jared," he says my name and I'm forced to look over at him instead of the road. "We have to. For Mel. If they're still out here...she would want us go after them. She would want them safe."_

_He had a point and he knew he got me. I'd do anything for Melanie, even if she wasn't here anymore. I sighed, and checked around me for somewhere to turn to. _

_"Okay. Where do we look then?"_

We walked back into the caves, asking everyone how Walter was doing. We got answers so that was a good thing. Kyle stayed behind. He claimed he needed to get to the bathing room before the rest of us and I laughed at him. Of course he'd be thinking about how he looked.

I practically ran to Doc's. I was hoping James was in there for me to see him as I give Doc the bit of morphine we found at the parasite's house. I almost didn't even care we were almost caught on that raid. I was just glad to be home.

I spotted Ian first as I got closer. What was he doing sleeping on a car at Doc's? I shook my head and walked myself in. Doc wasn't here, it was the first thing I noticed. The second thing was why Ian must be here. Awake next to a sleeping Walter was Wanda.

She must have heard my footsteps as I walked into the room because she turned to see who it was. Her face lit up at the sight of me and I felt guilty already. I wish I could be happier to see her but all I think of when I see her face is how the woman I love is gone. I give her a smile back, hoping that's enough for now.

"You're back," she whispered.

"Yeah," I mirrored her volume. "Where's Doc? Got something for him."

Her eyes widened in a good way. "You found something for Walter?"

"Not much," I shake my head. "But it might help."

"I'll go get him," she says. When she stands up, I see Walter's hand is attached to hers. It confuses me to why but I don't have long to think about it.

"Gladdie, don't go," Walter moans. Wanda trying to get up must have woke him up. It makes me curious but I don't ask about it.

Wanda sits back down in her seat and whispers to him. "I'm not going anywhere."

Walter smiles. "Thank you."

He closes his eyes with a smile on his face. I can tell he's trying to go back to sleep. Wanda turns to me in her chair. "Maybe Ian can..."

She trails off when she looks in his direction and notices he's sleeping, too. I step forward to her. "I can go. Where is he?"

"He's in the dining area," she tells me. "He was so busy taking care of Walter that he wasn't eating so Jeb sent down there."

I nod. "All right. Thank you."

"No problem," she smiles at me again.

I back up out of there and walk at an even pace to the dining area. Doc's sitting next to Sharon and he looks angry based on my view of him. She's speaking in hushed tones and he's shaking his head at her. I stay in place, unsure of what to do or where to go. It didn't really seem like a conversation to be disturbed.

A throat clears beside me and I turn to my side and see Jeb. "Welcome back, son."

"Thanks," I tell him but keep my eye back on Doc and Sharon. Should I bother them?

"Everything go all right?" Jeb asks me.

"We had a close call," I admit. "But we got out fine."

Jeb nods. "No one followed you here?"

I pause then answer. "No. We made sure."

"Okay," he says. "You need Doc for something?"

I hold up the small tube of morphine. "This is all we found. It should be able to help Walter a little bit though."

Jeb takes it from my hand, examining it. "It's not much but it should do."

"Jeb..." I start. He looks at me expectantly. "What would happen...if he dies? What do we do with him?"

"I suppose we bury him," he says matter-of-factly.

"Yeah, but where?" I ask.

I wonder if he knows what I'm getting at - where would we have buried Melanie's body if I allowed her to die that first month here, if I myself had killed her then? But he doesn't say anything about that and the look in his eyes gives nothing away, either.

"I never thought about it," he finally answers. "Haven't lost anyone down here yet."

I nod. He was right.

"Do you want me get Doc?" he offers.

I shake my head and hold my hand out. "No. I don't wanna be in the way."

"Tis fine," Jeb tells me and walks up to Doc and Sharon's table. Doc's head snaps up to me and he is walking over to me with Jeb within seconds. Sharon looks even more less than pleased then she usually does.

"You found morphine?" Doc asks me as he gets closer.

I nod. "Not much but it might help Walter a little."

"Even this much is a miracle, Jared," he smiles at me. "Come on."

The three of us walk back down the tunnel to his office. None of us risk a glance backwards at whatever glare Sharon gives us. When we get back there, Wanda is facing the doorway, still holding Walter's hand on his makeshift hospital bed. But also Ian is now awake.

Doc walks around me to get to Wanda and Walter. "Wanda, wake him up. I'm gonna give him some of this already."

"Doc, wait," I tell him. Everyone stares at me, especially Wanda because she looks confused as to if she should wake him up.

"What's wrong, Jared?" he asks me.

"Since it's not a lot," I start. "You might want to do it a little at a time." Doc doesn't understand so I continue. "You can slowly give it to him, to ease his pain as he waits. I don't think we can save him, Doc."

Jeb gives me a look of understanding, as if he knows why I was asking about burials before. He's half right though at least about it.

Doc nods to me in understanding. "Okay."

Wanda wakes up Walter and he smiles as the morphine kicks in. I watch Wanda as this happens and her eyes tighten and tear up as she watches him. I don't understand. Why does she care about him? Didn't she only care about the humans Mel had a connection to? It wasn't making sense but at the moment, there was more important things to worry about.

Three days later, Ian knocks on the door to my room. I'm sitting with James beside my bed because since I got back, I hadn't been apart from him. I look at Ian and I just know.

Jeb plans out a place to bury Walter's body outside and we make sure no Seekers or any others of the aliens are out before heading out there. Everyone gathers outside, even Wanda. Ian carried her out blindfolded. Some people were still not trusting of her being here so it made them feel better for her not to see the way out.

After everyone speaks, we head back inside. I go back to me and Jamie's room, holding James to me and imagine if we hadn't let Wanda live when she first came here. Yes, I wanted to kill her. I couldn't even look at her without getting torn up inside. But could I do it? Really do it? Could I have shot Melanie's body dead?

I shake my head and hold my son closer to my chest. No. I didn't believe I could. Even when I hit her, that was anger of the moment. I don't think I could have lifted up a gun, Jeb's rifle even, and point it at Melanie, killing her. I couldn't bear the thought of seeing her lifeless on the ground, blood around her.

Even if she wasn't there anymore, even if Wanda had come on her own and Melanie was truly gone.

Like my thoughts were calling to her, there's a knocking at my doorway. I glance up and see Wanda standing there. "Hi."

"Hi," I reply back. "I thought you'd be with Ian or something after the funeral."

She shakes her head. "No. If it's okay..."

"If it's okay...?" I prompt. She seems nervous but I'm not sure why since she was the one who came here. I wait for her to finish her thought.

"Can I stay here for a little bit?" she asks. "With you and James?"

"Yeah, sure," I answer. "Jamie's gone with the others to play soccor though so if you want him too..."

Wanda shakes her head again. "No. I had some time with him today. I was just...nevermind."

Something about her nevermind reminds me of Melanie and I felt a pang in my chest. "Wanda, wait."

She was about to leave but turns around to face me. "Yes?"

"I have to feed him," I tell her. "Do you maybe want to feed him with me?"

Her face brightens with a big smile. "Yeah, of course."

"Good," I smile at her and hand James over to her arms. For a moment, for the millionth time today, I imagine this is me and Melanie. Only now, it's really happening and not her. I feel guilty all over again and decide right then I'll stop comparing them. Wanda's going to be here for a long time as far as I can see and we might as well become friends.

**A/N: I didn't add the funeral/burial scene of Walter because I loved the book version of it and what everyone had to say. It's basically the same in here too then besides Wanda isn't on crutches :)**


	16. Teaching lessons

**Wanda's POV**

After Walter died, it felt as if something changed in the caves. It wasn't just about me. It was everyone. People seemed even more aware of their mortality if that was possible. Their world had already ended but yet, here they were, surviving and wondering who will be the last of them to live.

I tried not to think about things like that.

Ever since the funeral, I'd been feeling less comfortable around everyone else, Ian included. Processing a death of one of their own here and seeing the looks people were once again giving me - I knew some of them blamed me or at least my kind for his death. If we'd been out there, he might have had a fighting chance. Maybe if I had been a Healer, they wouldn't look at me like it was my fault, either.

Jared had let me stay with him, James and Jamie in their room. It's been two days since he offered me the space. I turned it down first but he used Melanie's feelings against me - he knew I couldn't say no to him or her brother and son. I felt like I should have anger of some kind but I didn't. Instead, I felt relieved that he wasn't going to kill me.

Kyle was another story.

Yesterday, he saw me in the dining area with Melanie's family, minus Sharon and Maggie really, and glared. His looks threw daggers at me. Melanie supplied the term "if looks could kill" for me and I had to agree with her.

But he'd promised Ian after the other attempt. I was just hoping Kyle would stick to his word.

Jeb had tried to convince me to do my teachings still and I didn't know how I felt about it without Walter. Doc and Jamie had helped me out when Jeb tried to get it rolling after dinner. Jamie had even answered some questions for me. I had told him so much about other planets, you would think he had been there himself.

Ian liked to ask questions for me when no one else would. I always smiled gratefully at him when he did. Jared had come home shortly after I began teaching and I hadn't started it up again since...since the funeral. So far, it was an informal class though so I didn't think anyone minded.

Not until during dinner, Jamie asked me why I hadn't been telling my stories to everyone after they ate.

"I don't think they want to hear me tell stories about the reason they're in here," I whispered to him and hoped no one heard me. I looked around just in case.

"But, Wanda," Jamie groaned. "They love hearing your stories. Don't let the downers get to you."

I smiled at his calling the other humans 'downers'. "Jamie, maybe they need a break from it. It's not even an official class yet."

"What's not a class yet?"

Jared slid his tray next to mine and sat down beside me. Melanie and I's heart began to speed up at his closeness but I answered anyway. "Jeb asked me to teach everyone here about the other planets I'd been to."

Jared nodded but I could see his mouth tighten into a hard line. "I didn't know that."

"She was really good at it," Jamie cut in. "Before Jeb asked her to, Wanda told me stories every night about where she'd been and what the other aliens were like. It's really cool, Jared."

I could see a pained expression on Jared's face before he forced it to disappear. "I don't think Jared wants to talk about this, Jamie."

"Why not?" his face fell. Jamie looked over at Jamie who had a complete poker face on. "Jared?"

"It's fine," he said then started eating.

Jamie gave me a look and I just shook my head. He didn't seem to understand and I didn't want to say it out loud to him. I looked over at James who was smiling at his father and nephew from the high chair that Jared had got on the latest raid. It made me smile that he knew them already.

Melanie was quiet but I could feel her there. She wished she could touch her son with her own hands, be in control of them. She wanted to be able to tell Jared she was sorry she got captured and to explain to Jamie why everyone is not as excited as he is about me or my kind's past. I let her murmer in silence.

"Jamie, I think it's time for James to have a feeding," I told him. "Would you like to go get his food from Lucinda in the kitchen? She still hasn't come around too much for me."

"Okay," Jamie replied.

Once he slid off the seat, I turned to Jared. "I'm sorry about that."

"It's fine," he said. But I knew from his voice that it wasn't. "Kid just likes talking to you. Don't worry about it."

"But I do," I say. "I worry. I feel bad about the slips."

"Wanda, it's okay," he tells me. "I know Melanie's not here right now. I mean, she's with you and I've accepted that. You don't have to worry about upsetting me."

"So you're upset?" I ask.

He gives me a look and before he can answer, Jamie walks back with the baby food for James. "Can I feed him tonight?"

I look at Jared while Jamie looks between the two of us. Jared answers, "Sure, buddy."

Jamie smiles and opens the small glass container, digging the spoon in. Me and Jared both watched him as he fed his small nephew. His birthday was coming closer I realized. It was less than a month away.

I turned to Jared. "James' birthday is coming soon."

He almost choked on his food. "What? When?"

"Twenty-five days," I answer. "I don't know why I didn't tell you sooner."

"Why didn't you?" he asked. Jamie was now paying attention to us, too. "Because I was a jerk?"

"I wouldn't say that -"

"I would," Jared let out a small laugh but then turned serious. "I was a jerk to you and I'm sorry, Wanda."

"It's all right," I half-mumbled. It was hard for either me or Melanie to form a coherant thought with Jared staring into our eyes like that.

"We should celebrate," Jamie interuppted and I had the urge to thank him. Both of us looked at him, spoon in hand and still feeding Melanie's son.

"What should we do, kid?" Jared asked him.

"I dunno," Jamie shrugged in excitement. "But we have to do something! He's gonna be one year old already. That's a big deal nowadays to have a child and it makes it."

I nodded. "That sounds nice."

"Do we do a party?" Jared asked me.

I was very surprised he was asking me. "You're asking me?" He nodded. "I don't know."

"We should do a party!" Jamie cut in. "We can look for stuff to eat as a cake or see if we have any ingredients for one. Then we can make paper hats."

"Paper hats," Jared smiled.

He looked happy to be considering his son's first birthday, even if it was probably not going to have a cake and paper hats were included. Also, I wasn't sure how many people would come if I did.

_He doesn't care about how many people come, Melanie told me. He never expected to have a kid, period._

I remembered too well the conversations about Jared's family and his lack of future family plans. Melanie thought about when she asked him to share the bed with her and he told her he wanted birth control because he didn't want to bring a kid into this world. She had agreed with him too.

_You're coming here gave him something he never expected to have_, she murmered. Her voice was sad but glad for him. _If we hadn't came here, he'd never know about James. Thank you, Wanda._

_You're welcome._

"Wanda?"

I turned to the sound of my name on a familiar voice. There was Ian, standing over our table and clearly was watching our little family moment.

"Hello, Ian," I said.

His eyes seemed suspicious for a moment. "Can I talk to you alone?"

"You can talk in front of us," Jared told Ian.

I looked between the two of them and then checked for Jamie's reaction. Ian spoke first. "If it's okay, I think I want to speak to Wanda alone."

"It's okay," I tell the two of them at the table.

I scoot out from the bench I was sitting on and follow Ian out into the tunnel hall. I didn't look back to see anyone's face as I walked out. Melanie wanted to see Jared's face though, see if it hurt him more to watch her body leave with Ian. But I didn't give her what she needed this time. I already felt guilty enough about not talking to Ian.

He stopped walking and turned to face me. "I haven't seen you in a few days."

"I know," I nod. "After Walter's funeral, I wanted to hide. Everyone was giving me these looks."

"What kind of looks?" he asked, curious.

"It doesn't matter," I shook my head.

"You thought they were blaming you," he states.

"Yes."

"Wow."

"This is part of why I hid," I say. "The ones who were on my side might not believe me about it, either."

"Do you think I'm still on your side, Wanda?" he asks me.

"Are you?"

"Of course I am," he answers as if I was crazy to ask him that.

I sigh in relief. It feels like I'd been holding that sigh in forever and didn't even know it. "I'm sorry I've been distant."

"Nah, it's fine," he shrugs and puts his hands in his pockets. "You were helping take care of James, weren't you?"

"Yes," I answer. "Jared and Jamie...they're letting me stay with them now. To help."

"I bet," he smirked.

"What's that mean?"

"I mean, Jared believes you now," Ian says. "Of course he'd want you stay with him."

I give him a confused look. "I don't understand."

"He wants Melanie closer," he says. "So he's using you for her."

"No," I shake my head. "Because Jamie's on his side."

"Jamie might not be manipulating you," Ian tells me. "But Jared can."

_No,_ Melanie argues.

"He wouldn't," I tell him. "Not with James at stake. Melanie knows he wouldn't do anything to hurt his son and I know it, too."

Ian accessed this. "Okay, if you trust him, I'll try to."

"I do trust him," I admit.

"Okay."

He walks me back to the dining area and everyone looks much different from when I left the room. People are facing in my direction, like they were waiting for me and Ian to come back. Ian spoke first. "What's going on?"

"We're getting ready for Wanda's class," Jamie answered.

Now I noticed him. He wasn't in the same seat as before but now was sitting by Wes and Lily. To my surprise, so was Jared, Andy, and Aaron. Brandt was nowhere in sight but Andy seemed forced into because of his girlfriend, Paige, who was sitting beside him.

"I'm not having a class tonight," I told everyone.

"Sure you are," Jeb walked in. I looked over to him and so did the other residents of our small community.

"Jeb," I said in a low voice.

"Wanda," Jeb said. "They're here to hear you speak. You can't deny them stories, can you?"

I paused for a moment, looking at each face I saw. It was mostly the usuals, beside Walter who had become my ally before getting sick. Doc sat patiently in the front, the closest table to me, and smiled. He must have been planning this with Jeb and Jamie.

"Um, okay."

I walked further into the room, Ian behind me. When I stopped, he walked ahead of me but sat down close to Doc. "I have a few questions because of James."

Wes' face was curious and I gave him a small smile. "Okay. What is the question?"

"Your kind..." he started. "How do they...reproduce? Do they adapt to the same ways of their host bodies or it some other way?"

"Oh," I almost laughed. I didn't expect that question. "We have...less elaborate ways of reproducing than humans if that's what you're asking."

My cheeks warmed as I remembered how elaborate Melanie's memories of it were. I ducked my head down so no one would see how red they became and also because I couldn't look at Jared when I was remembering those things.

"What are they then?" Wes continued.

"Well, some of us, me for example," I answered, lifting my head and getting myself into the lesson. My cheeks stopped burning the more I spoke. "We have the ability to be a Mother. It's like humans with the female is the one who carries young with us, too. But we don't create young the same way any of our host bodies do."

"It's considered a privilege when one decides to become a Mother," I keep going. "I never did but many others have. But, becoming a Mother has its price."

"Worse than a screaming baby?" someone teased. It was a male voice but I wasn't sure who it was exactly.

"Much worse," I replied. "Becoming a Mother means death. In order to reproduce new ones, the one having them dies."

I heard gasps among the crowd. Some sounded surprised, some not so shocked. Ian raised his hand and I nodded to him. "Yes?"

"How many of you can be born at the same time?" he asked. "If the mother has to die, then it must be worth something."

"True," I agreed. "Millions can be born to one Mother. We don't need any set-ups as humans or other species have, so it's fairly easy. Plus, when a Mother dies, all of her knowledge is passed on to her young. None of it gets lost when she is gone then."

Wes nodded and continued asking more questions through the night. Others joined in and by the end of it, I felt exhausted. Jeb smiled at me when people started filing out and walked up to me.

"Told ya they'd want a class," he smirked at me.

"I didn't think they'd want to hear me speak about my kind after Walter," I whispered to him.

"Nah, sweetheart," he said. "They needed to hear you. Because if not, they might not come back around to believing in you. If you think you're to blame for anything, then they might begin to think it, too."

"So, this was a test?" I ask. "Like the first night how Doc asked me questions?"

"Kinda," he grinned sheepishly. "But not exactly. Jamie came to me earlier today and told me he missed your stories. I told him to try to get people together to attend class again."

"I hadn't had that many classes before he died, Jeb," I say. "It probably doesn't make a difference to them whether or not they hear the invader's stories or not."

"Now, now, Wanda," he said my name like I was about to be scolded. I had a feeling I was though. "You're not the invader. You're one of us now and people have begun to accept you around here. You may not think it makes a difference but it does. A big one, if I may so myself."

I smiled at him. "Okay. But I'm surprised is all. I didn't expect the class or the questions."

He chuckled when I mentioned the questions. "I guess tonight was really a lesson, then, eh? None of us expected that was how your kind was born."

I nodded, unsure of what to say. I saw Jared and Jamie waiting for me on one side of the room and Ian, Lily and Wes on the other. I noticed Doc wheeled James out when he left because he needed his weekly check-up tonight. Jared would be too worried if he watched so he waited for Doc to return to see how it went.

Ian walked up to me when Jeb left and gave me his own smile that lit his blue eyes. "Wanna go for a walk?"

"Sure," I nodded.

I was about to go tell Jamie and Jared where I was going when Kyle rushed in. I had almost forgotten about him until now.

"Do you hear that?" he shouted.

"Hear what?" Jared asked him.

"Listen!" he said and we all did as we were told. I didn't recognize the sound but the others did.

"What is that?" I asked the four of them.

None of them answered me. Instead, Jared murmered out loud. "Oh no. Is that...?"

"Yep," Ian said.

"What?" I asked, getting anxious.

"Helicopters," Kyle said. I didn't know if he was answering me or just saying the word. "They're circling the canyons."

Oh, no.

There was only one Seeker who would come looking around here.

My Seeker was back and closer than ever before.


	17. Helicopters

**Jared's POV**

"Seekers?" I asked, ready in my mission mode.

Kyle nodded. "Pretty sure, yeah."

Ian looked at his brother and me. "What do we do?"

"Ask that," Kyle pointed toward Wanda. "I bet they're messaging each other somehow."

Jamie shook his head. "No, she didn't. Wanda wouldn't do that to us."

"Kyle, what do we do?" I repeated Ian's question to him.

"I don't know!" he shouts. "But this is exactly what I told everyone would happen since the day Jeb brought that thing in! Now they're here for us and we're all going to be captured."

"No, we're not," I tell him.

Kyle glares at me and I stop looking at him. Instead, I turn my head to Wanda, to see the expression on her face of pure terror. Was it for Kyle? Or because of the Seeker? I step towards her, Ian notices and gives me a look. He can see how scared she is, too. Suddenly, I'm very glad that Doc took James for a check-up and he's not here for this.

"Wanda," I say when I'm standing in front of her. "Wanda?"

She looks up to me, her eyes wide in fear. Ian comes to stand by her side and puts his arm around her on the shoulders. I'm about to say something but her face changes, looks less afraid when he's holding her.

"Do any Seekers know about this place?" I ask her.

She shakes her head. "No. Uh...my Seeker didn't get the information from me. Melanie didn't show me it until after we left."

"Of course she's pulling the my-human-didn't-tell-me bit!" Kyle exclaims from behind the three of us. "When are you guys going to learn?"

Me and Ian look at each other, ready to yell at him but a younger voice interrupts. "Wanda didn't do anything wrong! She's done more here than you have!"

I want to laugh at it because Kyle looks so stunned. Ian has the same look. Kyle looks at both of us, ignoring Wanda. Ian speaks. "Go talk to Jeb, Kyle. Find out what we're supposed to do from him. Get everything set if it needs to be."

"Fine," he grunted and sulked off.

Jamie smiled at us. I smiled back and let him know he did a good thing. We didn't need Kyle spitting blame on Wanda, not right now.

Suddenly, I remembered the raid. What happened because of stupid Kyle and his stupid ideas. "What if Seekers followed us here?"

Ian looked surprised. "When?"

"The last raid," I answer. "Kyle made us go in a wrong direction and we were stopped by Seekers. We almost got caught actually. The female one pulled a gun on me."

"Female Seeker?" Wanda whispered. I nodded. Her eyes looked more fearful than before. "It could have been her. Ian, it could be her right now."

Jamie came right to us. "What's wrong, Wanda?"

"Jamie, my Seeker might be here," she told him. His eyes grew wide too. "Jared, you have to take care of James."

"Take care of James?" I asked. Why did she say it like she was the one in danger and not us humans? Like I wouldn't take care of me and Melanie's son no matter what? "Wanda, what are you thin - wait. Do you think she's here for you?"

Wanda nodded. "Yes."

"She'll never get you, honey," Ian wrapped his arms more around her. I felt jealously in the pit of my stomach despite everything. It felt wrong to watch him hold her, it was Melanie's body. It felt like watching Melanie with someone else. I looked away to Jamie.

"Mirrors!" Jamie shouted.

"Oh, shit!" I exclaimed.

The two of us ran towards the room with the mirrors. I could hear Wanda and Ian behind me as fast as they can with a slow start. I wasn't sure if Wanda knew about the mirrors but I knew she'd follow anyway.

When we reach the room, the mirrors were already covered. Andy, Paige, Wes, Lily and Brandt stood there panting in front of the wheels. I thanked everything I possibly could that they were here.

"All closed?" I ask Brandt.

"Yep," he said. "We got them all."

"Good," I said.

Ian and Wanda finally catch up and I notice Brandt stiffens when she walks into the room. I give him a look that tells him not to be an ass right now. He nods, understanding. "Were you guys in here the whole time?"

"No," Wes stepped in front. "We were walking down the tunnels. Ran to here when we hear the chopper."

"It's a good thing you guys did," Ian says. "Do you guys still hear them?"

We all stand quiet for a moment and hear nothing. Andy opens his mouth to say it but right then, we hear the helicopters again.

"Shit," I whisper.

"Kyle was going to Jeb to find out what we do," Ian tells everyone. "I don't know where Jeb was exactly though."

"I have to go see James," I announce.

I start to head to the doors and Jamie follows. "I wanna come, too."

"No, you stay here," I tell him. "That's an order. Ian can watch you, right, Ian?"

"Jared -"

"Jamie, I mean it," I tell him. He stops following and stands still, understanding how serious I am about him staying. "Ian."

"I'll keep a good eye on him," he tells me.

I keep walking and and there's footsteps behind me. I expect Jamie when I turn around but it's not.

"Jared?" Wanda asks.

"You can come," I tell her in a low voice.

She gives me a small smile. "Thank you."

"Stay right behind me," I tell her. Wanda nods in agreement and we both walk out of the fields room and down to Doc's office.

"Jared?"

I can't tell where exactly Wanda is in the dark but I reach out behind me to feel for her. She grabs my hand tightly.

"I wasn't talking to the Seekers," she tells me. "I want you to know Kyle's wrong."

"I know he is," I reply. "I think I knew it from the beginning in a way. It didn't make sense why you came here and let us treat you how we did."

"I came for you and Jamie," she says.

I swallow hard. "Jeb told me you did. I guess I tried to not believe that you did."

We're both quiet for a moment until she speaks again. "The Seeker was after me and James. I bet she found the car and that's why she circles here."

I shake my head in the darkness. It doesn't matter, she can't see it. "The guys hid the car really good."

"Then what could it be?" she asked. Her hand tightened even more around mine.

"I don't know," I answered honestly. "But we're gonna find out."

"How?"

"I'm not sure about that, either."

We reach Doc's and I have to keep myself from running ahead. I may know the walls well enough to be in the dark but not well enough to run. Definitely not well enough for Wanda to run after me or worse, find her own way. My feet speed up though and so do hers. She's just as eager as me.

The helicopters sound even louder from Doc's. I try to lower their volume in my head and I sigh in relief when I see my son. Doc looks up when he hears the two of us walking.

"You just missed Kyle and Jeb," he tells me.

"They were here?" I ask as I walk to James.

Wanda's right behind me and Doc comes to stand on my other side. James smiles up at me and I put my finger to his tiny ones. He wraps them up instantly. His other hand reaches for Wanda and she does the same.

"Yep," Doc says. "Just left a little before you. They were headed to the kitchen to tell everyone what to do."

"Well, what do we do?" Wanda asked him.

"Kyle and Aaron are packing up our stuff," he answers. "If it keeps going, we're gonna leave at night."

"Night?" I whisper as I stare down at my young baby. "What about James? It's not like he can walk."

"I can take care of him," Wanda says. "I got him here. I escaped my apartment, my town and drove here. I can take care of James, Jared."

I nod at her. "Okay. Thank you."

"Of course."

We smile at each other and Doc clears his throat. Both of us snap out of it and I turn to him. "Doc, is it all right if we stay in here with you? I don't want to leave him. Especially if we do need to get ready."

"That's more than fine with me," he answers. "I'm going to get Sharon. Maybe talk to her before anything happens."

"All right."

He leaves and the two of us are left there, each holding onto a hand of James'. I watch her and see the concern she has for the little boy. Her own concern, apart from Melanie's. I feel all new level of respect added for her.

"Wanda," I say and her head looks up to me. "In the hallway...I didn't get to tell you I was sorry."

"For what?" she asked.

I let out a humorless laugh. "I hit you. I didn't trust you. I was terrible to you."

"Not really," she says. "I guess if I was in your place, in this situation...I would have done the same thing."

I laughed again. "_You_ would?"

"Well, maybe not me," she laughed too. "But you know what I mean."

"Yeah, I do," I tell her. "I have a question, though."

"What is it?"

"You and Mel...being in there," I take a deep breath. "How...present is that? I mean, is she there all the time? Does she see what you see? What?"

She looks surprised. "You're okay talking about this with me?"

"Yes," I nod. "I'll be fine, I promise."

Wanda takes a deep breath and sighs. "She's very much there. Lately, she's been more quiet again. But ever since James was born, she was very vocal inside my head. I think now that she's here and you and Jamie both believe us, she's content. Whenever Melanie's content, she's less talkative."

"Sounds like her," I smile. "Mel was most loud when she was complaining about something."

"She's the same in here," she laughs.

"But what about hearing?" I push. "What does she experience in there? Does she know what's happening out here without you telling her?"

"Yes," she puts her head down. "She sees what I see, hears what I hear."

"Feels what you feel?" I add. Wanda nods. Shit. "Wanda, I'm so sorry. Mel. Is she there right now?"

Wanda nods. "She's listening."

"Can I talk to her?"

She's quiet again and I notice this strange look on her face. It looks like she's thinking really hard. I've seen that face before and only now did I just notice that it means she's talking to Melanie inside their head.

She shakes her head. "I can't get her out."

I nodded. "Tell her I love her for me?"

"She hears you," Wanda tells me. "She has her own question, though."

"Anything," I close my eyes then reopen them.

"She wants to know why you changed your mind," she asks. "Why you believe us now."

I sit straight up, still holding James' small hand on my finger. "It was a lot of things. First, was the kiss. The way you held your arm...you were restraining it. I knew you didn't mean to punch me and the first time I kissed Mel, she got violent then too."

She smiled slightly at that and I did, too then continued. "But you came out during the fight with Kyle. Most people, human or not, would have stayed in the hole. Then how you were with Walter and I don't know. You didn't seem as evil as I thought you were. And you brought my son to me. Jamie trusts you. I see now he wasn't being tricked."

Wanda nods. "I'm glad."

"Me, too," I smile at her.

We sit like that for a while. Neither of us speaks after that. I was fine with leaving it at that. We must have fallen asleep in Doc's, each of us holding James' fingers in our hands. I hear someone walk in the room and open my eyes, looking towards the doorway.

It's Ian. I can't read the look on his face and I'm not sure if I want to know, either.

"They're gone," he tells me.

The humans? The Seekers? "Who?"

"Seekers," he answered. "They stopped flying around. Kyle got to peek outside and they flew in a far off direction west."

"How long ago?" I ask.

"Two hours," he shrugs. "Two and a half."

I sigh. I know it's far from over but it's a good sign. "Good."

I use my empty hand and shake Wanda's arm. The whole time I do it, I can feel Ian's eyes on me but I don't care. "Hmm?"

"Wanda, they're gone," I tell her.

"The Seekers?" she asks.

"Yeah," I reply. "You're okay."

She smiles at me. "Thank goodness." Then she looks over to a throat clearing and her smile widens even bigger.

"Hello, Ian."


	18. Mourning

**Wanda's POV**

A month had passed since the Seekers with the helicopters and Walter's death. I'd been staying in Jamie and Jared's room still and I could tell by the looks on Ian's face that he wasn't too happy about that. I didn't understand it but Melanie told me it was how humans were, they get jealous even if there was nothing exactly to be jealous of.

A week ago, Jared had taken Jamie with him on another raid. This time was just for some tools we needed in the caves and I tried to not worry too much. It didn't matter anyway, though. I still worried every second they were gone and so did Melanie.

Ian came knocking on the walls when he came closer to me. I was working in the field today to distract myself. Jared had told me when he had taken Jamie that it would be a short raid, real easy. I wasn't sure I believed him but we let him go anyway. Jared wouldn't let anything happen to Jamie.

"I got a question for you," he said when he was closer to hear.

I looked up at him with a smile. "And what would that be?"

"If I asked you to come do something, would you?" he asked.

"Depends on what you ask," I say as I keep working on the weeds. "If it's trying to make me stop working, then no."

Ian chuckled. "You know me so well, don't you, Wanda?"

I shrugged. Did I? "Maybe."

He smiled bigger. "Come with me."

I shook my head. "Ian, I'm working in here today."

"I got permission from Jeb," he answers. "Come on."

I look around at the people working. I didn't think they would mind too much if I went. And what if Jeb really did Ian he could take me out here? I reached my hand out and Ian took it, helping me stand up.

"Jeb better have really okay-ed this," I warn him.

"He did," Ian says. "And James is with Paige today so you can't use him as an ecxuse to get out of it."

I laughed. It turned out he knew me well, too.

He held my hand as we walked. I wasn't sure of where exactly we were going until we turned onto a certain tunnel. I looked at Ian to give him a look. "We're going the game room."

"Yep," he smiled at me. "You have been worrying so much about Jared and Jamie this past week. I thought you deserved a game."

I nod. "Jeb was okay with this?"

"Jeb understands," he replies.

We reach the game room and he lets go of my hand, walking ahead of me over to Lily and Wes. Lily beamed when she saw us. "You got her to come!"

"It took a little persuading," Ian laughed.

Wes bouced the ball on his foot. "You like soccer, Wanda?"

"I've never played," I admit.

_I have,_ Melanie says.

_But not me_, I tell her.

_Don't worry,_ she says. _I was really good. You'll catch on._

"Did Melanie play?" Ian asks me. Both Lily and Wes turn to me, curious. I forget they don't know much about the Melanie situation.

_Thanks a lot,_ she says sarcasticly.

"A little," I shrug. I don't want to tell him how much she played or give out early assumptions to how I might.

"We're gonna do one-on-one," Lily announces. "Me and Wes vs you and Ian. Is that okay?"

"Yeah."

An hour later, we learn just how good a player Melanie was. Me and Ian won by a score of 20 - 4. I was panting and thirsty when we were done but I had never had so much fun. Ian smiled at me and I gave him a huge one back.

"You should have warned us you were that good," Wes panted.

"I didn't know I was," I told him. Wes gave me a look like he didn't believe me. "Honest."

Lily laughed. "Good game, though. It's nice to get a break sometimes."

"Aye aye to that," Ian laughed.

Wes walked over to Lily and put his arm around her waist, pulling her closer. I watched them, wondering when that closeness happened. He kissed her cheek but she pulled away, giving him a chance to kiss her lips.

Ian turned to me. "What would Melanie think if I kissed you right now?"

"She wouldn't like that," I laughed, not needing to hear her response.

Lily raised an eyebrow at that. "Melanie?"

"Jared's girlfriend who shares a body with Wanda," Ian answered. I felt a thrill at his name but it was not me. Melanie was enjoying hearing someone call her that since no human had been around besides Jamie when they were together. "She doesn't like me much."

Now Wes raised an eyebrow with her. They both looked curious but neither said anything this time. I turned to Ian, changing the subject. "Wanna play again?"

"You two can," Wes replies. "I'm gonna go get something to eat."

"Ditto," Lily agreed. She waved at me as they walked away, holding hands.

"How about a wager?" Ian asks me once they're gone.

I raise my eyebrows at him. "What kind of wager?"

He smiles brightly. "If I win, you come stay with me while Jared and Jamie are gone."

I almost laugh. "Then, if I win, you come stay in their room with me until they come back."

He nods, smiling. "Isn't that what I said?"

"No," I shake my head. "You know I'd prefer to be in the room I'm used to so it's a different bet."

"You're on," he says.

At first, it looks like he's trying to let me win. I try really hard to miss goals and kick in the wrong directions but that makes him play worse.

I laugh at him and call a time-out. "Ian, I know you play better than this. Don't you want to win?"

He was thoughtful for a moment then shrugged. "Maybe. Either way, I get to stay with you."

"Ha ha," I teased.

We started playing again and after a few minutes, Lily rushed in. "Wanda, they're back!"

My eyes widened and I sprinted for the door and down the hallways. I could hear Ian running after me, following. But it didn't matter. Jamie and Jared were back. I needed to see them for myself, show them James and hold Jamie in my arms.

Jamie stood there with Trudy but no one else from the raid was in the room with him. Everyone else in the crowd had stayed home.

I had no time to wonder where Jared or the others were. Me and Melanie both exclaimed at the sight of her brother, Melanie calling out his name that she mirrored my own thoughts.

"Wanda!" Jamie exclaimed as if he was answering the words shared inside my head. Trudy held him back for some reason but it just made me run faster to close the distance between us.

"Jamie, I missed you so much!" I wrapped my arms around him as soon as I reached him. He hugged me back. Trudy still held him back.

"I missed you, too, Wanda," he said. "And James. Where is he?"

"Paige is watching him," I hear Ian say from behind me.

Jamie nods. "I'm starving. Is it around meal time?"

"You're supposed to be lying down," Trudy scolds.

Jamie moans. "Trudy."

"What?" I ask. "Why are you supposed to be laying down?"

He pulls his right pant leg up enough for me to see a bandage over it. I gasp. "Jamie! What is that?"

"It was stupid," he groans. I can tell it's not from the pain but because he really does just think of it as stupid. "I fell with a knife in my hand while we were on the raid."

"A knife!" I gasp. "Why did you have a knife in the first place?"

"It was stupid," he repeats. "And I already saw Doc. He bandaged it up for me."

I stand up, trying to seem parental. "Maybe you should listen to him to lie down, Jamie."

"Wanda, I'm fine," he protested.

"We'll eat in the room," I tell him and force a smile on my face. "Come on. It'll be fun."

Ian goes to bring us food back from the dining area and I help Jamie walk back to our room. "Where's Jared?"

He takes a moment to answer. "I'm not sure. He probably went to see Jeb."

Melanie noticed something I didn't. _He's lying._

_How do you know?_

_I know my brother. Something's off._

I pretended I believed him, wondering why he could possibly be lying. We waited for Ian to come back with the food. He brought enough for three so we all ended up eating together in our room. Ian also brought James with him, which made both me and Jamie happier to see him.

I sat with them, my mind preoccupied with whatever Jared was doing that was keeping him away from his son and Jamie. I turned to Ian, taking my eyes off of James and Jamie for the first time in minutes. "Ian?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you get me some more bread?" I ask him. "I'm still hungry."

He chuckles. "I thought it'd be Jamie who was still hungry after all that food."

Jamie smiled. "Maybe bring me back some, too."

"I knew it," he laughed. I laughed with him, not feeling very funny at the moment.

Once Ian is gone, I wait a couple of minutes. "Oh! I forgot to ask Ian if he could bring me some water. I drank all of mine."

"You can have some of mine," Jamie holds out his glass for me.

"No, you keep it," I smile at him. "In case you need it. I'll be right back."

He nods, oblivious to what I'm really leaving for. I look around to make sure I don't see Ian and I walk down the familiar tunnels down to Doc's. I don't pay attention to the people around me, just keep walking. Jared has to be down there. It made no sense why he wouldn't come back or why Jamie would prefer to lay down in his room. He told me Doc said he could. He should be in Doc's hospital. None of it makes sense.

I start to see a light to the room and I know I'm almost there. There's an anxiety in the pit of my stomach that I don't know why it's there.

_Maybe we should go back,_ Melanie says. _Something's still not right._

_I have to see what's going on,_ I tell her.

_Wanderer,_ she says. It's the first time she uses my soul-given name in months. _Please. Maybe we should go back to Jamie and James. _

_No, just a little further._

I keep walking. Melanie is still protesting but I don't listen to her. Instead, I keep walking. The light keeps getting brighter and brighter, bigger and bigger. I walk closer and hear voices. They sound hushed, angry. I can tell Kyle's voice is speaking and then Jared's. But I can't tell what they're saying and walk further in.

_I don't like this,_ Melanie says.

_I don't either. _

"I guess your idea didn't work, Jared," Kyle said as I get even more closer.

"Shut up, Kyle," he replies.

I reach the doorway to Doc's hospital and the smell is the first thing that hits me. What a stench! It's so strong. I feel like I have to plug my nose to keep it out. Then the sights - Kyle, Jared, Jeb, Doc, Brandt, Andy - all standing in the room. On the tables - I close my eyes and reopen them when I look at the tables.

Bodies are covered. They're obviously dead. Their necks brutally cut, bleeding before their last breaths. But that's not the last horror I see. On the small table, little silver bodies brutally cut too. Arms and legs torn off, blood everywhere. I gasp in horror.

They murdered my family.

My gasp must have alerted them to my presence. I start shaking my head as the tears tumble out. Jared steps forward. "Wanda..."

I keep shaking my head and backing up. I don't want him near me. "You're monsters."

"Wanda."

Jeb this time. I don't care. I keep backing up to get out of the room. "No. Monsters. All of you. I have to go."

I back into something solid. Too soft to be a wall. I turn and notice Ian. I tell my heart to stop hammering at the sight of him. He's another monster. I shouldn't care about him.

"Damnit," Ian says when he catches me and notices the room. "Are you guys crazy? With Wanda here?"

"We covered the bodies," Jared says.

No, they didn't. My head swims. Ian won't let me leave though. His hands hold me in place.

"The _wrong_ bodies," Ian snarls. "Sure, the human bodies will terrify her. Wanda's never seen something like this before. Not even in movies like we had. But imagine what the _other_ bodies look like to her."

"Shit," Jared whispers.

I can't listen to anymore of this. I wiggle in Ian's arms. "Let me go!"

His hands let me loose and I take off running down the halls. I don't hear them follow me and I don't care. They're all monsters. I never should have gotten used to it here. They tricked me. Was I next? Were they going to do the same thing to me that they did to those souls? There was children on that table! How could they justify what they were doing to those babies.

_They were just trying to find a way to help _

_Shut up! Get out of my head!_

There's silence then and I almost sigh in relief. I didn't need to hear a human's excuses right now.

I don't look anyone in the eye as I run through the hall with the rooms. I pass the tunnel that leads to Jamie and James. I can't face them. They're human and I'm not. I keep running until I get past the game room and further down the tunnels.

Finally, I stop running and collapse down on the rocks. I want to sob but I don't let it come out. That's the human way to mourn. I wanted to be anything but human right now. I didn't want to behave like the monsters would.

Silence. That was the best way. It could let me mourn without human interference and mourn my murdered family. It was also the way we dealt with grief on my one of my previous planets. I would be quiet and grieve for my family here. I just hoped no one would find me.

That hope didn't last long. Flashlights made their way toward me not too long after. I squinted my eyes at them, not really seeing them, not really wanting to.

"Jared, she's in here!" a voice shouted.

I heard him whisper, "Thank God." Then I heard footsteps coming closer. I was grateful it was just the one set.

"Wanda," he said to me. The light flashed over my face, right on it this time. I closed my eyes to it and he shined it to the side. "You should come back with me. Jamie, James...you don't want to leave them, do you?"

Oh so he was trying to guilt me into coming back. I wasn't going to fall for it. Instead of speaking, I just kept my mouth shut.

"Please," he pleaded. "Come back with me."

I still didn't speak. He touched my face, my scars. I cringed and his hand fell away.

"Okay," he sighed and stood up. "If this is what you want right now."

Then his footsteps retreated out of the room. I didn't entirely believe him that he'd follow my wishes. And about a half hour later, I wasn't sure of the time, I knew I was right to not believe him. Ian came and sat beside me. He had brought food with him, trying to urge me to eat. I didn't.

Days seemed to pass. I still hadn't spoken or eaten. Ian decided to stop eating his own share once he realized why I wasn't taking mine. Day and night came and went. Ian stayed beside me, watching me and waiting. I would not give in. My mourning was not over.

On day three, he pushed my food to me. He had been leaving to get more food the past days so it was always fresh. I wondered what he did with the food I didn't eat. But I didn't think about it too long.

"Please, Wanda," he said. "Eat something."

I still didn't speak. He sighed and gave up, walking out the small doorway of my own cave. My shoulders sagged in relief to be alone. That feeling led me to feel guilt for hurting the human. I didn't want those feelings. I didn't want to sympathize with them.

Jeb walked to the entrance of the hole. He stood there, watching me then slowly walked in. When he sat beside me, I curled more into myself, knowing he'd probably break me out of this. He was my first friend here after all.

"You gotta eat something, kid," he told me. "Come on."

I shake my head. He's not taking that as an answer so Jeb shoves a piece of bread into my hand. "No."

"You gotta eat," he says again. "There's easier ways to die than starving yourself, you know?"

"I do," I whisper in a hoarse voice. "I could go to Doc. He seems willing to kill my kind."

He smacks his lips, making a loud sound. "You really didn't think we'd fight back, Wanda? We're practically extinct. If there's any way to save ourselves and other humans who were taken, we have to try."

I nod slowly. "I know."

"The war's over," he continues. "We're just trying to make sure we're not the last even if we are."

He sticks the bread more into my palm, making my fist curl around it. I bit hard into it, not tasting anything and swallowing down. I make a face when it goes down but he doesn't notice.

Jeb smiles. "That-a-girl!"

There's a shadow near the doorway. I look up and see Ian standing there. His face looks worried but pleased to see me eat something for the first time in days. He walks in and sits beside Jeb.

"You know," Jeb tells me. "Jared was going to carry you out of here. Demand we find a way to feed you and not let you stay in here. But he understood you needed time to yourself. Didn't you?"

"Yes," I answer. At the sound of my voice, Ian looks right to my face. I don't know much else to say to them. I still considered them monsters even if they were trying to be friendly to me right now.

Jeb took a deep breath and changed the subject. "There's something I gotta tell you about, Wanda."

I looked to him. What else could there be?

"You're gonna tell her _now_?" Ian almost hissed. His voice was a much different tone then I remember hearing from him.

"She's gotta know, Ian," Jeb replies.

Now I'm worried. "What? What is it?"

"It's Jamie," Jeb says.

I stand right up and look from side to side. I have no idea what to do or where to go. Ian and Jeb stay down on the ground.

"He's fine, Wanda," Jeb tells me. "He just has a little infection."

"Infection?" I mirror his word. I know the meaning and feel sick to my stomach. The knife wound. How did I leave him for all these days? He wasn't a monster. Not my Jamie.

"He wants to see you," Jeb stands up and looks me straight in the face. They don't even need my answer to go. I race out and through the halls, Ian and Jeb trailing behind me as fast as they can.

There's people outside of my usual room and I move through them as if they weren't there. Some were friends, some enemies. But right now, nothing matters besides Jamie. Even James is in the back of my mind right now.

"Jamie," I say as soon as I see him. "I'm so sorry."

He tries to smile at me. "Wanda. I'm glad you're here now."

"How do you feel?" Stupid question.

"Okay," he answers. But he struggles with the one word so I can tell he's lying. "I'm sorry I worried you."

"No," I push his back and out of his face. "Don't be."

"How's Mel?" he asks. "Is she worrying too?"

"Of course."

Melanie. She was oddly quiet the past few days. And especially now. Where was she? I looked around the room and spotted Jared. He was holding James in his lap, like he wanted him to see Jamie because Jamie couldn't see him in his crib. My heart swelled at the sight and I hoped he didn't see the pure terror I felt somewhere on my face.

Ian and Jeb appeared at the doorway. I was stuck in my mind wondering where Jamie's sister was. She didn't comment on her brother's health or the sight of her son and his father sitting there. Mel.

_Where are you? Jamie needs you!_

I try to think up a plan to make her talk to me. Anything to get a reaction out of Melanie that usually would. Jamie's face scrunched at me. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," I lie. "I have to talk to Ian for a second. Is that okay?"

"Yeah," he nods. Jared watches me as I leave, holding onto James' hand curious.

I stand up and take Ian's hand. I pull him out of the room and away, hoping I can find an empty spot. There's a empty room in my line of vision and I pull Ian towards it with me.

He watches me curiously when we stop. "What's going on?"

"I need you to kiss me, Ian," I say.

His face looks shocked. "What?"

"Just do it," I say. "Don't ask me why. Just kiss me. Please."

"Okay," he says and leans his lips down to mine, kissing me softly. Nothing.

"No, kiss me harder," I tell him. "Like you want to get slapped."

"What?" he chuckles. "And this is all right? Melanie's okay with it?"

"Please, just kiss me," I plead. I need to try to get her back.

He kisses me softly again but it's not working. I lean myself up on my toes and kiss him harder. I pull him to me, crushing my body to his. The kiss becomes deeper and lasts for what seems like a while. When Ian pulls away, I sag in failure against the wall.

"Explain," he tells me.

"I can't find Melanie," I say fast. "She's not talking to me."

"You're sure?" I nod. "When was the last time you heard her?"

"Um...after what happened at Doc's," I answer. "She defended it and I told her to shut up. Ian, what if I lost her? Jamie needs her. James needs her. What am I going to do?"

"So you need something that will really get a reaction out of her," he states. I nod. "Okay. I'll be right back."

He leaves me standing there, leaning against the wall. I look around and wait for him to come back. What does he think will really get a reaction? I couldn't do anything more than what we did. I was afraid to even if I was willing to use Melanie's body that way. I didn't even think I could do it even if I wanted to.

_Mel Mel Mel come back. Your brother and son need you. I need you. Come on._

Where was she? 

I heard voices coming back. One was Ian's. "Think of it as an experiment."

"An experiment?" A voice asked him. It was a voice I'd know anywhere.

Jared. Oh. So that's what he meant.

**A/N: Hello! I hope you're still liking this story, first of all. I try to do as best as I can so I hope you're enjoying.**

**Second, I'm getting better on track I think haha. Some parts were messy and I'm getting more in the direction I'm supposed to be in the story. I hope you didn't hate the messes too much. I missed my chances at some stuff though. I wish I put the scene with Ian and Jared comparing Melanie's rights vs Wanda's but the book readers know that part at least and I wouldn't change that for the world so you know their thoughts on this. **

**Leave a review if you still like? : )**


	19. He's getting worse

**Jared's POV**

Wanda stormed out of the room with Ian in the middle of visiting Jamie. I didn't understand it all. It was the first time she'd seen him in days and he was dying slowly. I didn't know how to make myself leave his side so I just couldn't understand how she could so soon. Mel would never let her.

James wiggled in my arms. I could tell he knew his uncle was in trouble. His tiny face looked worried and wasn't his usual smiling, happy face. I sighed. I didn't want him have to experience this ever and especially not now.

Jeb nodded then whispered to me. "You know what that was about?"

"No," I answered back. I kept looking at Jamie, the door then James. The pattern continued. "I'm a little surprised she left so soon."

"Me, too," Doc joined in. "I don't think Jamie's getting better."

I swallowed hard. Nothing could happen to Jamie. I would make sure of it. I'd been making sure of it for the past four years. He couldn't die on me now, not now that Melanie was gone and James was here.

"He has to," I said to no one in particular. To myself, to Jeb, to Doc, whoever. It didn't matter because he had to.

Ian came back at the door, moving aside some of the people who still crowded outside our room. Wanda wasn't with him but he nodded for me to come forward. I told Jeb I'd be right back and laid James down in his crib.

I followed Ian out of the room and he stopped far enough away from the crowd that they wouldn't hear us. "What's going on? Where's Wanda?"

"You have to go see her right now," he tells me.

My back straightens as we walk. Oh, no. Not her, too. I couldn't lose her, lose Melanie. Not again. "Tell me what's going on right now, Ian."

He shakes his head, trying to convince me. "It's nothing like that."

"Then what is it?" I ask. He needed to get to the point already. If she wasn't in danger, why did I leave my son and Jamie? This better be important.

"You need to kiss her," Ian says simply.

Did I hear him right? "What? Why?"

"Just go to talk to her," he pleaded. I wasn't sure of what was going on. "Think of it as an experiment."

"An experiment?" I questioned.

We reached an opening that seemed pretty empty but once we entered, I spotted Wanda in a corner. She was leaning against a wall with a worried look on her face. Ian was wrong. Something is definitely wrong with her.

"Wanda?" I asked her.

She looked to Ian for support. I didn't get that either but he nodded to her. He obviously knew everything and yet no one was telling me.

"Go ahead," he says and backs out of the room.

We both watched him go then once he was out of sight, I turned back to Wanda. She was still looking after Ian.

"Wanda?" I ask again. "What's going on? Does this have to do with Jamie, or James or...or what happened in the hospit -"

"No," she's shaking her head. Her face looks scared and I'd seen that face before. Whenever Melanie was scared. Just like then, I had the urge to hug her to me and dry her tears. But this was different. I couldn't do that again.

She takes a few seconds to speak again but when she does, I'm wishing it was before she had.

"I lost Melanie," she whispers.

My heart almost stops. "You lost her?"

Wanda nods. "I haven't heard her, Jared. I don't know where she is. And this of all times - I'm worried."

I find myself noddding along with her. "How long has it been?"

She sighed. I figured she already explained this to Ian and tried not to get annoyed he heard about Mel before me. "Before my...isolation. That was the last time I talked to her."

"So Ian thinks I have to kiss you," I say slowly.

Wanda nods again. "Nothing had more of a reaction from Melanie than when you kissed us. She's never broken through like that before."

I'm silent for a moment. This wasn't what was I was expecting at all. It felt like I was losing her all over again, so much worse than before I was on Wanda's side.

"So he thinks that I kiss you..." I let my voice drop.

"Not kiss me," she says. "Kiss _her_." I'm quiet again and she takes a deep breath, blushing. "Nevermind. I shouldn't have asked that of you."

Her eyes are staring at the ground so she doesn't see me walk closer to her. "Okay."

First, I put my hands on her shoulders, steadying her to me. Wanda looks up at me with those silver eyes and Melanie everything and I almost break. She can't be lost. My fingers trail down her arms, just like I used to do with Mel. I've done it so many times before I could make a perfect trail with my eyes closed.

I give her fingers a squeeze when I reach them then let go, putting both of my hands on each side of her face. Wanda closes her eyes and for a moment, I feel like it is Melanie I'm with. Maybe that's what she wants - for me to imagine as much as I can that it's her so I bring her back. It makes me grateful for the soul inside Melanie that it's her and not another one of her kind.

My mouth reaches hers and it feels like it always had. The same lips as before, even if many things have changed. I kiss her softly at first but just like my other experiment, it didn't work out like that. Wanda instantly responded to me. Her hands went around my neck. One of them was in my hair.

My hands moved from her face to her waist, pulling her closer to me. She made a sound I remembered all too well and that just made me pull her even closer. I pull my lips off of hers and force myself to her ears and whisper into them. "Melanie Stryder. You will not leave me. Come back to me. I need you. Jamie needs you. _Your son needs you_. Come back."

I move my lips back to hers and she takes them forcefully. I wonder if it's working. I wish I could be inside their shared mind just this one time to know if she's listening. She needs to know how much _I_ need _her_, how much she has to come back.

Her hands end up on my waist, too., gripping my sides tightly. Her fingers make their way to the end of my t-shirt, fisting it up. I remember all the times Mel had done the same exact thing and it makes me more urgent. I kiss her lips even deeper, trying to get a response.

Suddenly, the hands on my stomach turn angry. They're hitting me and pushing me away from her. I almost laugh in relief of what I think it means.

"NO!" she shouts.

"Wanda?" I grab her mad hands and hold them still. She's moving like wild. I know these reactions more than anything else. "Mel?"

I let out a laugh. She talks to me and I realize I'd been holding my breath since I heard Melanie was lost. "Jared?"

"Mel," I say again. My eyes feel wet and I smile at her, kissing her lips again.

When I pull away, she shakes her head. "It's me. Wanda."

My heart drops. "But that was Mel, right? You got her back."

"I got her back," she confirms. Her voice is low but I can hear her good.

I nod. "Can she - was that her? Talking to me?" Wanda nods. "Do you think she can do it again?"

Wanda shakes her head. 'I don't know. I'm not sure."

"Try?" I plead. Even if it's just for a second, I need it.

She nods, putting her heads to the sides of her head. I can tell she's thinking really hard. Not thinking, I tell myself. Talking to Melanie. My heart cracks, wishing I could do that exact thing.

"It's not working," she shakes her head again then she whispers. "Come on, Mel. Think of James or Jamie. Come on."

I can see Wanda's struggle to let Melanie out. There's not much thinking for me to do now. Instead, I lean down again and pull her towards me. I hold both sides of her face and kiss her hard. At first, she kisses me back and it's almost the same as it was just minutes ago but then a pinching on my bottom lip. I taste blood and she pulls away from me.

I smile. Melanie bit me.

"Stop that!" she roars. "Don't touch her like that."

"Mel," I laughed. "Hey, baby."

"Jared?" she asked.

"I'm right here," I tell her. I'm never leaving you.

Her face looks surprised again and I can see the exact moment she's Wanda again. I try not to let her see how sad I am about that.

"You still got her, Wanda?" She nods. "Okay. Let's get back to the boys."

"Yeah, we should," she agrees. Her voice seems sad.

I put my arm around her, keeping both Wanda and Melanie close to me. It felt like I needed both of them especially now, not just Mel. "You know, Mel, if you try to disappear again, there's really no limit to what I would or wouldn't do to get you back."

I'm smiling, teasing her. But Wanda looks down and I think I can see her cheeks redden before she ducks. "She's threatening your life right now."

That just makes me laugh more. It's so...Melanie. "She wouldn't. Mel loves my charm."

Wanda smiles slightly. We're almost back to our room. "You got her there."

When we walk in, it's just Jeb, Doc, James and Jamie. Ian is nowhere in sight. Maybe he left to give Wanda some space. I wasn't sure but right now, Jamie and my son mattered more. I took James out of his crib and passed him over to Wanda. She looked like she needed to hold him more than I did. Besides, I knew Melanie would want to now that she was back.

"How is he?" Wanda asked Doc. She sat down at the edge of Jamie's bed and balanced James on her lap.

Jeb shakes his head but it's Doc who speaks. "He's not doing very good."

"What can we do?" I ask. I already know the answer. But I have to ask. For Jamie. I have to.

"Not much," Doc answers. "He's strong, though. He might be able to fight it...but it's not looking like it will go that way."

His voice got lower as it trailed off. I looked at Jeb then to Wanda and James and finally to Jamie. He was finally asleep but he was covered in sweat. His face was red with fever and his breaths came out slowly and like rasps. No. It couldn't end like this. We had to do something.

"Wait," Wanda says. The three of us all turn to her now. Her voice speaks louder with her next words. "What if _I_ helped him?"

"Wanda, I don't think you can," Doc tells her.

Jeb adds, "There's nothing more we can do, sweetheart. We don't have the medicine to help him. I don't know much else you can do."

"No, not your medicine," she says. We're all looking at her questionably. "My medicine."

"What?"

She turned to look at me as soon as the word came out of my mouth. I didn't even mean to say it really. But now that it was out, I was glad it was.

"I could help, Jared," she says to me.

"Even if you could," I reply. "What about them? The people here? Do you think they'd let you get anywhere?"

"Probably not -"

"Exactly."

"Hey, hey," Jeb stands up. "I'm gonna call for a meeting. We'll hear everyone out. Wanda, you can tell them your idea."

"But I can help him!" she says. "I don't know why it's even thought of for debate."

I feel myself agreeing with her - putting Jamie's one life above the possibilty of Wanda turning us in once she gets out there or worse, her Seeker finding her and inserting herself in Mel's body. Either way, we'd lose. But I didn't care. She'd protect us. I trusted Wanda. I probably did all along.

Jeb walks over to Wanda and puts his hand on her shoulder. She shifts James closer to the other side so he's not right there. "Wanda, you understand why we have to do this, don't you? Some here still don't trust you to go out there - with your kind especially. Let's just have a vote."

"Okay," she nods.

Jeb tells everyone he can find as soon as we leave the room that he's calling for a meeting in the dining area at dinner. Wanda brings James with her and I sit with the two of them. Ian finally reappears again and sits beside her, asking if Melanie's back. She tells him yes but nothing more.

Jeb stands up after dinner, making sure everyone is here. The only ones missing were Jamie and Doc. Doc promised to watch over him while we have the meeting.

"Everyone here knows about what is going on with my nephew, Jamie," he starts. There are hushed whispers and nodding. I look over at Wanda and my son in her lap. Her head goes down when he says that but it comes back up and looks right at Jeb.

"He's not doing so well," Jeb says in a low voice then it rises. "We've got another idea to help him. That's what I need your help with."

"What is it, Jeb?" Lily calls out.

"Yeah, what else could there be?" Kyle asks.

My eyes throw daggers at him. Sometimes he really needs to shut up.

"There's Wanda," Jeb answers.

There's a whole lot of shocked gasps in the crowd. Some seem surprised we didn't wonder that option sooner. Others turn to glare at her, as if accusing of her of telling the Seekers on us already. I'm about to stand up and defend her but I notice a look in Ian's eyes telling me not to right now. That's when I realize he wanted to do the same thing.

"Now, I know a lot of you still don't trust her," he continues. "But you can't deny she's been here quite a while and no one's come after us."

"Except that Seeker who keeps peaking around," Maggie supplies.

"But did she find us?" he asks. No answer and he nods. ""S what I thought. Anyway, we could make her go out and get him medicine. Or we could not let her go and the kid dies."

Brandt stands up. "It's sad about the kid but we can't risk all of our lives for one person. We have to think of the community."

"He's right," Sharon stands up, too. "I love Jamie. He's my family. But we can't let...her go out while we're stolen out of here because some of you had to trust her."

"Sure bided her time nicely though, didn't it?" Kyle huffed in a whisper to Sharon. I saw her nod.

Okay, now I was really getting pissed off. But I was forming my own plan in my head if this went the way of Jamie's death.

"'S up to a vote," Jeb said over the loud whispers. "Those vote for it."

Pretty much no hands raised. Wanda looked down at James, a guilty look on her face. I kept my hand down so no one would suspect. Ian held his up.

Jeb nodded. "Against?"

Pretty much every hand went up. So it wasn't they were afraid to give an answer if they supported Wanda. Tears welled in her eyes and James held her hand tightly.

Jeb looked directly at our table. Ian nudged her to look. "Sorry, Wanda. I don't know if we should risk their lives against their will."

She turned to me. "Jared?"

"I don't think we can, Wanda," I tell her. A lie. But she can't know.

She nodded, swallowed then handed James over to me. I took him and adjusted him evenly on my lap. Then Wanda surprised me. She stood right up and walked out of the room. I saw the direction she was going in before she even left.

I stood up too and followed right behind her. James laid his head on my shoulder as we walked. When I reached the doorway of our room, I could already hear her.

"Jamie, Jamie, Jamie," she cooed. For a second, I thought she was Melanie. But then I looked at her and remembered. This wasn't three years ago. This was now. And now wasn't looking so great, James aside.

I walked away from the room and sat outside. Jeb came and sat beside me. First, he looked at James and then back to my face. "Sorry, kid. I know you care about the kid. Believe me, I do, too. I don't know if I'd be right in risking everyone here for the chance that plan could make it."

"Jeb?" I ask him.

"Yeah, son?"

"Do you trust Wanda?" I ask.

"Why would you ask me something like that?" he asks.

"Because I need to know," I say. "You were the first one to trust her when she came here. Do you still trust her now? Trust her to keep our secret here and to not be caught?"

He's silent for a moment then he answers. "Yeah. I trust Wanda."

"Good." I'm quiet a moment and Jeb eyes me suspiciously. "What's that look?"

"Just wondering what you're planning," he says.

"I'm not planning anything," I answer. Another lie.

He eyes me again then nods. "Well, all right."

He stands up and walks away only for Kyle to replace him. "What do _you_ want?"

"You want the parasite go out there, don't you?" he asks. Wow he really gets right to the point, doesn't he?

"No," I almost sneer.

"You do," he remarks. "I get it. I guess. She's in the body of the girl you love. You have a son now. And that kid in there is like your brother. I get that. I might even risk people too if it was Ian in there and Jodi came in here...but that's not Melanie, man. I thought you knew that."

"I do know that," I tell him. "Do you? You just said that if it was Jodi in there, you'd trust her."

"I didn't mean -"

"No, Kyle," I say. "What would you do if it really was Ian in there and Jodi was sitting at his bedside, wishing for anyway to help him? Only it wasn't Jodi. One of them's inside her, just like there is. What if her body was right here? Would you trust her?"

"I don't know," he said. "And I never will because Jodi is dead. Leave it be. Shit, Jared. Just let the kid go in peace. Don't drag the rest of us down with him."

He stands up and walks away. The only thing that makes me not punch him is the barely one year old child in my arms. I look down at him and smile. "Guess it's up to you and me, huh?"

A little while passes. Ian came to sit with Wanda at Jamie's bedside and I put James down for his nap in his crib. One look at Jamie and I knew Wanda was right. She could do it. She had to. We would not lose him over something that can be fought.

I overheard Doc telling her he wouldn't even know how to use the medicines. But Wanda could find out. She was smart and she had Mel on her side. I knew she could do it. Even if she considered giving us in, Mel wouldn't let her. She had to be pretty strong to get her here so she'd use that strength no matter what.

I knew she would.

I excused myself and went searching through our stuff for something to help sneak Wanda out of here. Doc was assigned as her guard so she didn't try to break out. Wanda didn't know the way out so I didn't see how that mattered. They more needed to be warned of me.

There was chloroform in one of the boxes, hidden really deep in our non-food storage. I would use this when he's asleep. Once I hid it in my bag I brought with me, I went back to the room and waited.

Night came and Wanda was still awake. She was pouring ice water on Jamie and touching his head with a towel. He looked even worse if that was possible. Doc was asleep in the chair in front of the room. I got the rag ready with the chloroform and put it over his mouth. He wailed and moved around at first but then he stopped.

Finally, I noticed Wanda. She was standing in a protective stance over Jamie. Like she was ready to pounce on whoever was coming to hurt Doc. It almost made me want to laugh if it hadn't been exactly what I'd been hoping for.

"Come on," I told her out of the darkness.

That's when Wanda saw my face. I mean, really saw it. She sighed in relief and nodded. "We're going?"

"Yeah," I told her. I walked over to James who was fast asleep in his crib and touched his belly. I smiled at him and whispered, "I'll be back as soon as I can. We have to save your uncle."

It wouldn't be long before Doc woke up with the amount I'd found so we needed to go. I trusted James would be safe here. Wanda kissed both James and Jamie on the forehead and we were off to get the medicine.


	20. Rescue Mission

**Wanda's POV**

_He believes!_

Melanie and I were estatic. It'd been a while since we watched everyone say how they'd rather Jamie die than trust me to go outside. I thought those I trusted the most were even against me and prefered Jamie to die. Mel felt her heart break when Jared didn't defend our chance to save him.

But seeing him here, right now, standing in front of me. We were overjoyed.

"Come on," he told me.

I sighed in relief. "We're going?"

"Yeah," Jared answered. He walked to James, reaching his hand in and whispered something to him. I didn't hear him but I probably didn't need to. He was saying goodbye.

I kissed both of Melanie's boys on the forehead and we rushed out. Jared went ahead, checking for anyone to see us.

"Stay behind me," he told me.

I nodded and Jared stretched his hand across my body, blocking me from whatever it was he saw. I heard footsteps retreat and then he nodded at me, ready to go.

We were running through the tunnels as quiet as we could. It was actually easier than I expected. "What was it?"

"Kyle," he muttered. "Of all the people to see right now."

I smiled and stifled a laugh. It did seem pretty funny that one of the people we least expected or wanted to see happened to appear. We kept running to the entrance and at some point, he grabbed my hand so we'd definitely not lose each other. I didn't know why since we were still in the caves but I didn't object.

We got closer to the big room he first saw me in. Jared sighed. I panicked. "What? What is it?"

"I have to blindfold you," he told me.

"Oh," I said. "Of course."

Jared nodded and took it out of his pocket. I closed my eyes to help him along and he wrapped it around my head, tying it in the back once it was fixed right. I sighed and opened my eyes, the fabric so close to them.

"Okay," Jared said and took my hand again. "One more stop and we're out, I promise."

I nod. "Okay."

We're walking fast again and within a few minutes, we stop again. I stand there waiting and Jared's hand slids out of mine. "Was it hard to get?"

"Nah," a voice answered. Ian! How I wished I could see him right now. "Piece of cake."

Jared laughed and took something from him. I heard the jangle of keys, too. "You moved it close enough?"

"Just enough for you two to get there," Ian said.

"Okay," Jared said. "Thanks for the help, by the way, Ian."

"Of course," he said. I could hear how the of course meant 'anything for her'. My heart swelled.

Jared took my hand again and started up a steady pace as we ran. I could feel Ian's eyes on me as we left. As we ran, there was a new sound coming from Jared. I didn't understand it though I could clearly hear the keys Ian passed him. Melanie was just as confused as I was on what it was.

I knew the exact moment that we were outdoors. The wind hit me and I instantly felt cooler. Jared slowed down to an easy pace. We were both panting from the run so it was a nice change.

"Ian moved the Jeep for me," Jared told me.

_The Jeep!_ Melanie exclaimed. She was so excited. She hadn't seen it since the first part of that horrible Chicago trip. _I didn't know he still had it!_

Jared continued on as if I wasn't having my own conversation with the love of his life. "He was able to get it closer so we don't have to run the usual amount. This way's faster and we can get out of here faster before anyone finds us."

"Okay," I panted. "Sounds like a good idea."

His pace sped up and made mine, too, all of a sudden. I didn't understand until I lifted right off of the ground and into a seat. "Is this the Jeep?"

Jared laughed. "Yeah. Sorry about that. We're still a little too close to take the blndfold off."

I nodded. It didn't matter. As long as we could save Jamie. "It's fine."

He shut my door and within seconds, his own door shut. Jared started the engine and sighed. "I really miss this car sometimes, you know that, Wanda?"

"Mel does, too," I tell him. "She's happy to know you still have it."

"It was my first car," he tells me. Something he's never told Melanie before. "I wasn't letting go of it no matter what."

I smile at him and he drives the car away. I keep my head down and fixated on my lap even though I can't see a thing through my blindfold. Then another thought strikes me as I look at how dirty my clothes are.

"Jared, I can't go out there wearing this," I lift my head and try to face where his seat is.

A pause then he speaks. "We can't go back. Not without medicine for Jamie."

"I agree," I answer.

He sighs. "I can take you where the other cars are kept. We keep clothes in there for when we go out on the raids."

I nod. "Okay."

The rocky ground lifts me slightly from the seat each time we hit one. Melanie is off thinking of the many times she had been in this very vehicle and how long it's been since she's seen it. I sigh, feeling guilty for my kind finding her before Jared had.

A few minutes and more rocky ground later, the Jeep stops. Jared's door shuts and I feel around, wondering if I should get out or not. I hear my door open and feel the blindfold come off. My eyes blink twice then I turn to face him.

"I can look now?" I ask.

He smiles. "You won't see anything in here. It's just the cars. Besides, you need your eyes to change, don't you?"

"Right," I agree and give him a smile of my own.

He goes off into a darker corner of the small cave we're in and around the cars. I watch him as he looks through clothes that still have tags on them. They're clean and fresh clothes. Ones I remember from my apartment. I haven't worn anything like it since my trip here. After about a minute or two of rifling through them, he tosses me a top and some pants.

"These should fit you," he tells me and looks me up and down. I want to blush but remind myself he's seen it before and he was probably just looking to see if I'd be the same size.

I stand there, waiting and he doesn't move. Finally, after a few seconds, he coughs. "I'm gonna look for something you can hold what you get in."

He leaves and I sigh. I quickly strip off my dirty clothes and change into what Jared had given me. When he comes back, he tosses a backpack at me. I hold it in my hand and bounce it like a ball.

Jared smiles at me then climbs back into the Jeep. I see he's also changed into a nice, iron-pressed shirt. I get in after him and he sighs. "What?"

"I gotta blindfold you again," he answers. His expression looks sheepish.

"Do it," I demand. As long as we get out of here.

I turn so my back is towards him and the fabric comes over my eyes. I close them again and he tightens it behind my head. His hands fall and I turn myself forward in my seat. My hands search for the seat belt but Jared hovers over me, pulling it out and putting the belt in so I hear click. I feel like I stopped breathing as he did so. I hope he can't tell.

"It's just a little further and you can officially take that off, Wanda," Jared says.

My breathing starts again and I clear my throat. "Okay."

And he's right. I count the minutes in my head as I stare at the dark fabric over my eyes. It's ten minutes later when Jared tells me I can take it off now. When I do, I notice landscapes I saw on the way here with Melanie. I stare out the windows and remember how she tricked me into finding her loved ones.

I have to admit - I didn't mind it so much anymore as I did then.

"Where can we go to?" I ask Jared.

"Well, Tuscan is closet," he answers. "We never raid there since it's so close but seeing as you can talk to them, I thought it might be okay since it's an emergency."

Tuscan. Where my first Healer went to.

Jared notices the change in my expression and becomes worried. "Is that not good?"

"No, it's fine," I shake my head. "The Healer who did my instertion moved to there." And the Seeker might look for me wherever he is.

"Would they look you?" he asked.

"No," I say. "They don't have wanted people like criminals used to be. It'd be fine. Besides, I'm here for get Jamie medicine. I'm not leaving."

"That's what I was hoping you'd say," he smirks at me and my heart thumps.

It doesn't take long to see the hospital in the distance. There are no cars on the road behind or in front of us. I tell Jared to pull over and let me drive.

"Why?"

"Because if I'm not driving, they'll know I'm not alone," I answer simply. "You need to hide."

His face looks hesistant but he nods. "All right."

Jared pulls over to the shoulder of the road and I jump out and he goes to the backseat. I climb back into the Jeep on the driver's side and look behind me at him. "Now you need to cut me."

"What?" he exclaims. "No."

"You have to," I tell him. "I have scars and bruises, Jared. They'll wonder why I didn't get them fixed."

"No," he repeats. "I'm not going to cut you, Wanda."

"Jared," I pleaded his name. "Give me your knife then. I'll do it myself."

"Wanda..." he said.

I look around and spot a rock outside my window. I open the door, grab it then shut the door again. "Use this."

He closed his eyes and then opened them again. I handed him the big rock and Jared's fist curls around it. I nod at him then close my eyes. I hear him inhale and exhale and then I feel it. The rock is hard and it feels as if it's slicing my skin off. I can feel the blood and stings from the cut.

"I'm so sorry!" Jared exclaimed. "Wanda! Mel - ugh, I took off half your face."

I opened my eyes and tried to smile at him. "You did good."

He shakes his head and his eyes are horrified. "They can fix that?"

"Yeah," I breath deeply. The pool is falling off my face onto my seat. I somehow manage to drive into the lot of the Tuscan hospital. I pull into a spot not too close and not too far and turn to Jared again. "Now I need a cut."

"You have a cut!" Jared shouts then lowers his voice. "You don't need to cut anymore."

"I need a cut like Jamie's," I reply. "So I can treat him exactly right."

I know I have him. He bites his lower lip and turns, taking his knife out. He hands it over to me. "I can't do it. Not after that."

"Okay," I take a deep breath. "I can do it."

Jared watches me carefully as I gouge into my arm with the knife. My knees were bruised from my first days in the caves so I thought it'd be best not to have to show them that. My vision starts getting blurry and I feel dizzy. I wonder where Mel is throughout all this but she's sitting back inside my head. I can feel her but since she can't do anything, she's quiet.

I nod to Jared and hand him back the knife with my good arm. "I'll be right back."

He nods back at me then hides under the blanket in the backseat. Good. That should keep him safe. Slowly, I open the door and more blood pools outside of the Jeep. My feet fumble and I feel sick. I just need to make it to the door, I tell myself.

_Mel?_ I ask.

_You can do it, Wanderer, _she says. _I know you can._

Her faith in me helps move me forward. The blood trails where I walk and somehow I manage to get to the door. Opening the door is harder than expected. My arm hurts a lot. There's no words for the pain in my face. When I do get inside, the woman at the desk jumps up at the sight of me.

"Oh, Goodness!" she exclaims. "What happened?"

She starts calling for a doctor. I sigh, ready to lie. "I was camping. My first time and I fell down a hill with a knife in my hand."

Her face looks worried for me and she gets off the phone. Seconds later, a Healer walks in and escorts me to a room with crinkly seat covers and instructs me to sit down. "What happened to you, dear?"

"I fell with a knife in my hand while I was camping," I swallow hard. The pain on my cheek stings terribly. I hope she doesn't hear the lie and mistakes it for pain.

She does. The Healer gives me a warm smile. "My partner camps sometimes. I like the civilization, though."

I smile back at her and watch what she does. She takes out several cans - No Pain, Heal, Seal, Smooth. She opens the No Pain and tells me to open my mouth, putting a small square on it that dissolves quickly.

My face suddenly feels better. Almost instant. The blood is still dripping but the dizziness is gone. My vision is now cleared. The Healer smiles at me. "Better?"

"Better," I nod. Even my voice seems clearer.

She now sprays my face with the Heal and I watch each container she touches and uses, remembering the order. I especially pay attention to how she heals the cut on my arm. When she's finished, she smiles at me and hands me a mirror.

Wow. My whole face was healed. No cuts, no bruises. The dried blood was still there but she handed me a wet paper towel and I washed it off. There, good as new.

I needed to be alone to get the medicines I needed. I put the mirror down and asked, "Can I have some water?"

"Of course," the Healer said to me with a smile. She walked out of the room slowly and I quickly jumped to my feet. I read all the labels on each thing in their cabinets and grabbed as much as I can, especially of what she used on me. The backpack was filled as much as I could and I sat right back down on the crinkly sheet.

She came back with a glass of water and I downed it. The blood loss had made me thirsty so I was very happy for the refreshing cold taste. The Healer smiled at me and asked if I wanted another glass. I told her no and she let me on my way.

The Jeep looked empty when I walked out of the medical center. I reminded myself that it was supposed to look empty. When I got closer, I whispered, "Jared?"

"I'm right here," he told me from underneath the blanket.

I got into the Jeep and carefully placed the backpack on the passenger seat. The Jeep's engine started and I drove right out of the lot with the souls' medicine. I exhaled a big breath I'd been keeping at being caught.

"We're all clear," I told Jared.

He uncovered himself from the blanket and came to sit beside me in the passenger seat, holding the backpack on his lap. "This is it?"

"Yep," I smiled. "I got what they healed me with and more."

I saw Jared nod in the corner of my eye then he turned to face me, noticing my cheek and arm. "Your face!"

"I know," I said. "That stuff really works, doesn't it?"

He nodded again. "Yeah. I guess it really does."

Jared was just staring at me and I turned to face him. "What?"

"Nothing," he shook his head out of its daze. "Just...I didn't think we'd actually make it."

I laughed a little. "Why not?"

"I wasn't sure -" he cut himself off.

But I understood. "You didn't know if you could trust me."

"That's not what I meant," he defends. I wait for his explanation. "I mean, I took you out of the caves where anyone can try to persuade you into staying here. Or they could have found me. Maybe even your Seeker would have been here."

My stomach drops. That had been one of my own fears at coming here. "But I did it. And I got what we needed."

"You're right," he said.

"If you thought things could go wrong," I start. "Why did you take me out?"

"I figured it was better to die trying than to live without the kid," he whispered.

Both me and Mel's heart swelled. We were a family right in that moment. I resisted the urge to touch his face and make him look at me again. Instead, I kept my eyes on the road and drove us home to save Jamie.


	21. Catching a moment

**Jared's POV**

We saved Jamie.

I had almost thought we weren't going to make it. When we got back to the caves and I had hidden the Jeep, I held Jeb's gun close to me. Ian had stolen it for me before we left and handed it to me when he gave me my car keys back. I was glad Wanda hadn't seen it thanks to the blindfold. She would have objected to it.

Kyle made the most noise when we got back. Not to say others weren't rattled by my decision to take one of them outside. But Wanda pulled through, I told them countless times and ran as fast as I could behind her to get to our room. I couldn't let anyone come after her. Especially not now of all times.

Maggie and Sharon were in the room with Jeb, Jamie and Doc. Ian waited outside the door for us, his face sighed in relief when he saw Wanda and me running towards the room. Melanie's aunt and cousin were furious at me. Sharon tried to attack me but I stopped her, holding her in place while Wanda instructed Doc what to do. Once Jamie was safe, I let Sharon go. She and her mother both left angerly.

It had been one day since we returned home. But yet, Wanda and I stayed planted at Jamie's side with James. He tried to convince us to do something else but Jeb gave us passes knowing what we just went through.

Jamie was playing with James at our table in the dining area when it hit me. James' first birthday was just a week away. We had talked about a party but with everything that happened, we never got around to doing anything about it. He went to get more food so I decided to bring it up.

I turned to Wanda, tapping her on the arm. "Remember we talked about a birthday party for James?"

She gasped. "I forgot! There was so much going on..."

Wanda trails off. I understand. "We can still do something."

"Like what?" she nods. "Do we have anything we can use?"

I think for a moment. "I'm not sure. I can look."

"Or..." she starts but then stops.

"Or what?" I ask her curiously.

"I could go out again," she whispers in a shushed voice. She leaned toward me closer after her sentence so only I could hear. "You know you can trust me."

"I do," I tell her. We're close enough that I could easily close the space between us. But I won't. I can't do that to Wanda or Mel. I lean away a little and I can see a small frown form on her mouth then disappear. "But I don't know if we can just go out again."

"Oh," she says and backs up a little herself.

"We can ask," I say. "I'll ask Jeb. Maybe if I go to him and plead it's his great nephew, it will work."

Wanda nodded. "I hope so."

I put my hand on her shoulder and she looked at me. "Hey, did I say something wrong?"

"No," she shakes her head. "You didn't do anything, Jared. It's just...sometimes I think about how I'll never belong here. That people doubt they can trust me proves I was right to think it in the first place."

"No, that's not true at all," I tell her. "Those people - they need to get over themselves. You've done more for people here than most of them have. You don't need their approval to be welcome here."

"It seems like it," she whispers.

"Wanda -"

Jamie comes bouncing back in his seat and slides in across from us. I stop my sentence but he notices the atmosphere he just walked into. "What's wrong? Wanda, are you okay?"

"She's fine," I lie for her. I wasn't sure if she wanted to tell him. Jamie would just try to comfort her and I knew Wanda. She wouldn't believe it but think he was only saying it to make her feel better.

Jamie looks at me and he understands. My eyes must be asking him not to ask anymore about it. He just starts eating his food and when Lily comes by, she takes James to Doc's for me. I can never make myself watch Doc check if he's all right. His weekly appointments were driving me crazy.

After dinner, while James was at his check-up, I excused myself to go see Jeb. I fully intended to ask him about taking Wanda out to get stuff for James' birthday. I understood a hundred percent if he said no. It was a birthday party for someone who wouldn't even remember it. But I had to try.

I had to for my family. 

I knocked lightly on his walls and Jeb looked up. The make-shift door was open so I took that as a good sign. "Well, well. Jared, what can I do for you?"

"I wanted to ask you about a favor," I say. He tells me to come in with his hands and I do, sitting down across from him.

"Now, what kind of a favor would you be asking for?" he said.

I blurt it right out. "I was wondering if Wanda could go on another raid with me so we could celebrate James' first birthday."

Jeb smacks his lips for a few seconds then stops, only to stare at me. When he's done, he leans over his desk and speaks. "You didn't ask to take her on the first raid."

"No, I didn't," I agree. "But I had to for Jamie."

"I'm not arguing that," he says. "Just wondering what makes you ask this time."

"Well, no one's dying this time," I answer. "I figure I didn't need to cut any corners."

He smiled at that. "Well, that's true, kid. Now what would happen on this raid?"

"We'd get simple things," I say. "A cake for everyone. Maybe some toys for him to play with. Hats."

"If it's all right with you, then it's all right with me," he says.

"Really?"

"Yeah. Why, is there a problem?"

"No, no, there's not," I back up. "Just...before you asked everyone what they thought about it, if they'd let it happen."

Jeb nodded. "Well, that was her first time out. Now, I trust Wanda. Mebbe before any of you did. But she didn't rat us out to the others. I call that a win. Don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"Okay, then."

We cleared up some other thoughts for the raid before I left and went back to our room where I guessed Wanda would be right now. I walked down the familiar tunnels down to it. It was a walk I'd made many times after I went to Jeb planning the next raid. It felt kind of fitting to be doing it again.

I saw the familiar door and walked right into it...only to hide against the wall. Yeah, Wanda was in there but she wasn't alone. And it wasn't Jamie or James or even Lily. It was Ian. And they were kissing.

It felt like a knife stabbing my heart to see that. I'm not saying I'm in love with Wanda but seeing her, Mel's body...with Ian. It felt like she was with someone else. But the Wanda part hurt, too. Not the same because I know she's not mine the way Melanie is but she's still something to me.

After calming my heart rate down, I search for Jamie. He was probably in the game room with Aaron and Brandt and the others right now. Instead, I turn to the direction of Doc's to see James. I'm not that far down when I almost bump smack into Kyle.

I sigh. One of thelast people I wanted to see right now, besides his brother. "Watch it."

"Testy, are we?" He laughed. "What's going on?"

"Nothing," I shook my head. Then a thought occurs to me. Maybe he would understand about what I just saw. "Hey, can I ask you questions? About Jodi?"

Kyle's face freezes. "What about Jodi?"

I look around and there's very few people around and not in close enough distance to hear us either. I still back closer to a wall. "It's hypothetical."

"Okay," Kyle still seemed on guard.

I take a deep breath and ask. "What if you saw Jodi again and she was moving on with another man?"

His face was bewildered. "What?"

"You know what I mean," I told him.

"Okay," he sighed. "Well, one - I'll never see her again. And two, if she was moving on with someone, it wouldn't be Jodi."

"But how would you feel if you saw her body with someone else?" I push. Come on. Kyle has an opinion on everything. He's got to have one on this.

"I don't know," he says. His voice is almost thoughtful. "I haven't seen Jodi in six years. I don't really expect to just see her one day out of the blue."

"But what if she came here?" I ask him.

"Oh, I see," he smirks. "This is about Melanie, isn't it?"

"Not exactly," I reply. "It's Wanda."

"Oh, the _soul_ inside of Melanie then," he says. The struggle to not say parasite is very obvious on his face.

"Yeah," I say, ignoring his tone. "You probably noticed the way your brother looks at her."

"Oh, yeah," he replies. "I definitely noticed that."

I'm quiet for a moment and that just makes him talk again.

"Why?" Kyle asks. "You think he's going to go after the body of your girlfriend?"

"I think he already has," I tell him.

"Oh, shit," he gasps. "Ian. Crap, man."

"I just saw them together," I almost snarl.

"Together, together as in -" his eyebrows lift and I don't need any more words to figure that one out.

"No!" I half-yell. "Not that kind of together."

I shudder at the thought of Ian and Melanie's body in...I can't finish the thought.

"Well, then how together?" Kyle asked.

"Kissing," I say. "They were kissing."

Kyle shudders. "Man, I can't believe that Ian would do that."

"It's not his fault exactly," I answer, surprised to defend him right now. "It's not like it's actually Melanie controlling the body. It's not her he's kissing."

"But isn't he?"

"Well -"

"So you wanted to know how I'd feel," he says. I stare at him for a moment until he laughs. "Well, didn't you?"

I nod. "Yeah. But I thought that you said it'd never happen and it wasn't Jodi so you didn't know how you'd feel."

"Well, that was before," he jokes. "Listen, I'd be pissed if it was someone I knew. Especially if I believed Jodi was still awake inside there and talked to the thing. I'd be angry."

I nodded again. "So what would you do?"

"Nothing," he said simply. "There's nothing you can do. Even if Melanie was screaming at...Wanda to not be with Ian, she's not in control anymore. It's not up to her. You just have to try to push it away and pretend that it's not the same body you were once with."

"I don't know how to pretend that," I sigh.

"Then I guess you better learn, huh?" he teased.

I start to walk away, to go down the direction to Doc's like I had intended to but his voice stops me.

"Jared?"

"What?"

I turn to face Kyle and the teasing look is gone. He actually looks serious.

"I'm sorry you have to go through this," he says. "Not just the Ian part. I mean, her coming here, all of it. Not seeing your son born."

I'm almost in too much shock to speak but then I finally can. "Thanks, Kyle."

He nods at me and I nod back. Kyle turns back to the direction he was heading in before we met up and I move back towards Doc's. When I get there, Lily smiles at me and stands up. "James is asleep right now."

"His check-up went good?" I ask her. I also notice Doc isn't here.

"Yeah, he's a perfectly healthy baby boy," she smiles bigger. "Just like he always is for being down here."

"I'm glad," I say to her. I walk over the small crib still in here for his check-ups. His real crib was in my room now but with what I just saw in there and him sleeping, I didn't really want to move him there.

Lily follows behind me as I reach in and touch his face and his hands. "Doc said maybe he doesn't need his weekly visits pretty soon."

"He doesn't?"

"Nope," she says. "Doc told me since he's been here for months now and seems to be doing fine, maybe he doesn't have to go through this every week. What do you think?"

"I think that's great," I answer, still staring at my little boy. "He deserves to not need doctor appointments all the time. We can't do it forever, can we?"

"No, you can't," she says. Then she's right next to me, looking over at him, too. "How old is he now?"

"He's going to be a year old next week," I say. It stings that it makes me think of how long it's been since I'd seen Melanie.

"Oh, wow." Lily smiles. "I didn't expect that."

"Yeah," I say. What else is there? "It's been a long time."

**(A/N: I make it a bit longer between Wanda's first time at the caves and now to make him not be so much of a baby anymore. I hope that's all right. )**

"Wanda's been with us for a while," she states. "How is that? Is it weird?"

"Not so much anymore," I reply and it's true. "It was at first. But now it's gotten easier. A big part of that is James and Jamie is a lot better since Wanda came."

"And you?" she asked. "Are you better since Wanda came?"

I had to think for a moment. Was I? When she first came here, I was angry. More than angry. I was furious. But as time went on and I found out about Melanie still being in there, it was very different. I wasn't sure how it changed exactly as it did in the past nine months but I realized I knew the answer to Lily's question.

"Yeah, I think I am," I answer. "I still miss Melanie every day but Jamie's right. It is almost like having her here even though we don't."

She nodded. "I can't even imagine."

"That's okay," I tell her. "It's better than hearing the ones who pretend they can."

About an hour later, Doc comes back in. During the hour, I learned from Lily how he went after Sharon to talk to her. I took James in my arms and carried him back to our room. He was still out of it from falling asleep. The room was empty when I got there and I put him down into the crib again. I was surprised he still fit in it he was getting so big.

I sat down on my bed and sighed. I wondered where Wanda and Ian had wandered off to. I laid down and stared at the ceiling.

"Jared," I heard. For a second, I thought Melanie was calling me. Then I remember James not too far from me and how everything was different. When was I ever going to learn?

I sat up to see Wanda standing in the doorway. "You can come in, you know. This is your room, too."

"I know," she says with a blush. "You looked like you wanted to be alone."

"No, it's fine," I tell her. "I was looking for you earlier."

Her expressions show no signs of knowing what I walked in on. All it did was make me wonder just how much I missed all this time. "You were?"

"I talked to Jeb."

Wanda walks inside the room and sits on her bed, the one Ian had been kissing her on. "About the raid?" I nodded. "What did he say?"

"He said we could go as long as I was all right with it," I answer.

"And are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Okay with it," she adds.

"I wouldn't have asked him if I wasn't," I reply. "I wouldn't have taken you out for Jamie if I wasn't, either."

"Okay, good," she nodded. "Then when do we leave?"

"We can leave tomorrow if you want," I say.

Wanda smiles. "Tomorrow it is."


	22. Birthday & Disaster

**Sorry for the lack of updates! But I'm back and with just a little more of the story to tell : )**

**Wanda's POV**

The party was a success. It was just ending now and the ones who came - Jeb, Ian, Jamie, Doc, Lily, Wes, Paige, Andy, even Brandt and some others - were walking out the door. Well, besides Ian and Jamie.

Ian was helping Jared clean up while Jamie sat with me. I was holding James in my arms. He was very awake and very happy. It was hard to keep the smile off of his face. On our raid, Jared and I had taken a camera so we could get a lot of shots at the party. Jeb didn't understand how to use it so the job ended up going to Lily.

Jamie was quiet beside me as he watched the men throw out dishes and hide the two small pieces of the cake that was left. Jamie already called one of them for later when he wasn't so full.

I sat there with the small child in my arms, watching the men, too. I took note of how polite they seemed towards each other although I could tell their friendship had been strained since I came along. I tried to think of ways to fix it and came up empty.

_They'll be fine,_ Melanie teased. _They're grown men. It passes._

I sighed. I didn't agree with her. They wouldn't be the same as long as I was here.

"Hey, Wanda?"

"Yes, Jamie?" I asked. He had a big, bright smile on his face.

"Do you think maybe -" he started then paused. "Maybe next time I can come on a raid with you and Jared? Get some stuff for James?"

My eyes widened in alarm. Melanie didn't even need to say her thoughts for me to know them. We were echoing each other. "Jamie -"

"You're gonna say no, aren't you?" he cut me off. How he knew with just one word still surprised me.

"I didn't say no," I explain. "I barely said anything."

"Then what were you gonna say?" he beamed, hopeful.

"I don't think it's a good idea." His face fell and I continued. "But maybe we should ask Jared and Jeb what they think."

"They're gonna say no, too," he groaned.

I smiled at him and removed one of my arms from Melanie's son to pat him on the head. I hoped he'd find it funny because Mel did it to him when he was little. "If they do, it's to protect you, Jamie. You know we know nothing to happen to you. Especially after last time."

Mel and me both shuddered at the thought of last time. Jamie didn't notice. "I know. I wish I could prove to everyone it's not gonna happen again."

"The best way is time," I answer.

He nods at me then turns his attention on James. "Can I hold him?"

"Of course," I say as I pass him to his Uncle. "Can you put him down for me too after? He's had a long day."

Jamie smiles at the chance for more time with is nephew. "Sure!"

The guys are done cleaning up now and Ian begins to walk over to me. He whispers in my ear and it sends tickles down my skin. "Hey."

"Hey."

I turn so I face him and once again, his startling blue eyes capture me. "Hi."

Ian gives me a smile. "Think I can steal you away for a little bit?"

I bit my lip, turning to look at Jamie who's holding James beside me then to Jared who's in the kitchen wiping the counter. "Sure."

He reaches for my hand and I put mine in his. Ian helps me stand and Jamie looks at me. "I'll be back, okay?"

"Okay," he says.

We walk out of the room and down the tunnels, passing some of the party's guests. He's still holding my hand and instead of turning in the direction of his room or even mine, he goes in a different one. One that takes me to my old hole.

"Ian?" I ask in almost a whisper.

"Yeah?"

"Why are we walking to the storage hole?"

He chuckles. "I was hoping you wouldn't notice the direction."

_Like you could ignore it,_ Mel said to me.

_Never could,_ I tell her.

"What's down there?" I ask, feeling stupid.

"I have something for you," he beams.

"What kind of something?" I say.

He tsk-ed me. "Wait and see."

I pouted at him, hoping it would work. He just laughed more and kept walking me down the tunnels. When we finally reach the hole, I see it's cleared out. It's not completely empty but none of the stuff me and Jared just got on our raid is here. There's a picnic basket there and a blanket on the ground.

I look up to him and he has a big smile on his face. I let go of his hand and rush towards the hole now. "Ian!"

Ian stands behind me already. "You like it?"

"Yes!" I answer. "But...we just ate. Ian, what is this for?"

"Look inside the basket," he nods to it and I look between him and it.

"Is it a gift?" I ask.

"Look and find out," he replies.

I give him one more look then I turn to the basket. Inside it is a bunch of candles, tall ones like you would put on a dining room table.

_For the picnic, _Melanie said.

I pulled them out and got my hand in deeper. There was something wrapped in there. It sounded like a crinkle and I tried to grip my hand around it. It wasn't that hard because it seemed small. Once I had it in my palm and was pulling it out of the basket, I gasped and looked at Ian.

_That better not be what I think it is,_ Melanie murmered in a harsh tone.

I didn't understand why she had the tone. _What do you think it is?_

No answer. That figured. I thought we were doing better than that after all this time. "Ian, what is this?"

"It's a present," he told me. "Open it."

Hesistantly, I do as he tells me. My breathing is heavt and my heart is pounding. Once the wrapping paper is off, I can tell it's a small, little velvet box. My breath hitches.

Melanie gasps with me. _Oh my god._

My hands trace the velvet on the outside of the box. "Ian...I can't accept this."

"You haven't even seen what it is yet," he counters. "Come on. Please open it, Wanda."

"You do it," I say and hand the box out to him.

"Okay, fine," he says and takes it from me. I watch as he patiently opens it up and points it in my direction. Too bad when he puts it in front of me, I close my eyes. "Open your eyes, Wanda. Why are you so afraid?"

I peek one eye slowly open and see what's in the box. The other opens and I sigh in relief. It's a necklace, packed up in the tiny box. Ian hands it back to me and I take it, admiring the jewels and the way they shine.

Ian chuckles. "What did I tell you?"

"This is too much," I murmer as I trace the chain. "Ian."

I try to hand it back to him and he puts one hand out to stop my direction. "It's for you."

"How did you even get this?" I ask. "You haven't been on a raid in a while and I certainly can't accept it if it was meant for someone else."

He's quiet a moment then speaks up. "It was meant for someone else but not the way you're assuming. It was my mother's. She gave it to me when I was a teenager and told me to give it to someone I really care about."

"You really care about me?" I ask in a whisper.

He kneels down in front of me. "I more than care about you, Wanda. As a matter of fact, I love you."

_Oh my God._

_Just what I was thinking._

"You don't have to say it back," he says, probably seeing Melanie's thoughts mirrored on my face. "I just wanted you to know and to give you this."

"That's not -" I say then start over. "I mean, I love you, too."

"You do?" Ian's face lights up.

"Yes."

His hands are on my face in an instant and he kisses me deeply. I kiss him back and everything falls away. I forget my thoughts of the necklace being too much. I forget we're in my hole I used to sleep in when I first got here.

But then I do remember. I pull away and Ian looks worried. "What, honey? What is it?"

That one word - _Honey_ - gets to me. How am I doing this to him? "We should go back."

"You sure?"

I nod. "Yes."

He helps me stand up and looks at the picnic basket. "Another time?"

I nod again, feeling too guilty for making him care so much about me. I hold the velvet box tightly in my hand, not letting it fall. I decide right then and there, I'm keeping it. I don't want to hurt him any further by handing it back so I'll hold it until he asks for it back.

When we come back to the dining area, it is empty. Jared is gone and so is Jamie and James. There's not a human or soul in the room besides me and Ian.

"I wonder where they went," he remarks first.

"Yeah," I say. I'm looking around the room, imagining them hiding someplace. "Maybe back to the room."

Ian walks me back to the room but on the way there, we stop. There's a commotion in the biggest room. He takes me there and we pile through the people to get to the front. Jared and Jeb are standing there, waiting for something.

"What's wrong?" I hear myself asking. "What's going on?"

"S nothing," Jeb told me.

I turned to Jared and gave him a look. "Go back to the room. I'll come tell you soon."

"Jared..." I try.

"Wanda," he closes his eyes. "Please."

He opens them again and I see the pleading look on his face. "Okay."

"Thank you," he says. "Ian, go with her."

He nods. "Of course."

"Actually," Jeb interrupts. "I'd like to speak to Ian for a moment."

"Me?" he asked. "If it's all right, can I take Wanda back first?"

"That's fine," Jeb says and gives him a look. "But be back here as soon as possible."

He nods to Jeb again and as soon as we walk away, I turn back around. "Wait. Jared, where's James and Jamie?"

"They're with Doc," he says.

I'm still not relieved yet. "Are they okay?"

"They're fine," he answers. "We sent them there because...of reasons."

"Oh," I say. "What reasons?"

"Wanda," Jeb says this time. "Go back to your room. Don't worry until someone comes to you."

I stare at Jared to make sure he knows to tell me. He sighs. "I'll tell you, I promise."

I nod and turn back the other way. "Okay, Ian. Take me back."

Ian walks me back to my room. It's so quiet and empty that I don't even believe it's really our room when I first walk in.

"Okay, I have to go talk to Jeb or he's gonna kill me," he jokes.

My hand stays in his, holding him to me. "You'll come back, right?"

"As soon as I can," he replies then kisses me quick on the lips and rushes out the way we came. I sit alone in the room usually made for three.

While I wait, I worry. I fiddle with my fingers and stare at the walls. Melanie occasionally chimes in, too.

_Jared will tell you, _she says._ He'd never break a promise._

_That may be but it looked like they didn't want me to know what's happening_, I tell her.

_Maybe,_ she agrees. _But he promised and he wouldn't want either one of us worrying if it's nothing._

_Or he'd want us to think it's nothing,_ I point out.

_He'll come,_ she says defiantly.

After counting the seconds and cracks in the walls, Jared appears at my door. I stand straight up, anxious to know what's going on.

"Wes is dead," he says once I'm on my feet.

"What?" I almost fall right back onto the bed. I just saw him at the party. Had it really been that quick? "What happened?"

"A Seeker," he answered. "Your Seeker. She found us, was wandering around outside the caves looking for some way to get in. Kyle was going to go out there but Jeb thought he was too impulsive. So Wes went and checked. She shot him dead right in the head."

"Oh my God," I cover my mouth with my hand. I feel like I'm going to be sick. "He's dead?"

Jared nodded. "There's more."

I look towards him, not really seeing him. "How can there be more?"

"Your Seeker is here," he tells me. Okay. I was definitely going to be sick. "We wanted you out of there before because Kyle, Aaron, Brandt and Andy were bringing in both Wes' body and the Seeker's. We gave her chloroform so she wouldn't know what was going on."

"Oh my God," I repeat. "She's here? Right now?"

"Yeah."

"What - where -"

"We brought her down to the storage hole you were first in," he told me.

The memories me and Ian had just shared in there - the picnic, the kiss, telling each other we loved them - seemed tainted. She was down there, in the very hole I had been in.

"She's not awake right now," Jared says and slips his hands in his pockets. "But Jeb says if you want to see her, talk to her, you can."

I nod. "Are you going to kill her?"

"Probably," he answers.

I just nod again. "Tell me when she's awake."

"I will," he says. "Do you want me to bring James back?"

"Yes, please," I say and he just nods at me then leaves the room. I lay on the bed and wait for him to return with Melanie's son.

When he does, the three of us fall asleep together on his bed. Jamie stayed with Ian outside and he was distracting him with Soccor. I was sure it had worked because when Andy came knocking at the door hours later to tell me the Seeker was awake, Jamie was still not here.

I walk with him to the hole that Aaron and Brandt are guarding. Jeb is also there but not as a guard. It's clear he's there for me. I find myself stunned to see a mat and pillow there for her. Her tray of food isn't touched and then I notice her.

The Seeker sneers at me when she sees me. I keep my head up and walk forward. She is leaning against the wall, perfectly relaxed when I was not down here.

"Hello, Wanderer," she says when I'm inside the hole. "Or are you Melanie now?"

"It's Wanda," I tell her.

She nods, thinking. "Why have you come to see me, huh? Are you going to be the one to kill me?"

"No," I answer. "Not kill."

She chuckled without humor. "Then what are you here for, _Wanda_?"

"I have a question to ask you," I say. "Why couldn't you let me be? I was fine down here. Why not let me stay here?"

_"Because I was right!" _she snarls. The Seeker comes right to my face. "I had to keep looking. I knew you'd be out here with humans."

She says the word 'human' as if it's a curse. "So what if I was? I wasn't hurting anyone."

"You were letting them win," she says.

"No, I wasn't," I tell her. "I was finding my home."

Then I walked right out. The Seeker was bitter obviously. But did she deserve to die? No. Instead of going back to my room, I went in another direction of the tunnels and thought about something I'd been thinking about a lot especially with James' birthday.

My secret.

I could save the Seeker. I could let her human free and other humans too if they were still in there. But most of all, I could free Melanie.

_No! _she screamed as my own wall tumbled down inside my head.

I had to go see Doc.


End file.
